Stranded
by Dragon of the wastelands
Summary: Stranded on an island infested with grublins, Spyro suddenly is given guardianship of a young hyperactive dragoness. Can he be the the father she needs him to be, and will they ever make it to the mainland? Rated T for cursing.
1. Chapter 1

"Spyro, wake up! Spyro!" I heard Cynder shout as I slowly regained consciousness. "Come on Spyro! We got to go or we'll be stuck down here!" She shouted once I managed to push myself up with my shaky legs. She then proceeded towards the nearest tunnel leading for the surface, and it took me a few minutes to remember what was going on, but once I did I realized that it was the ground that was shaking, not my legs! I wasted no time sprinting after her, hoping that we could make it to the surface in time. We could have used our elemental powers to aid us, but the battle with the dark lord combined with the heat of being so close to the worlds core, drained us of all our energy. "Come on Spyro! Run faster! Cynder shouted back as we ran up a slope.

I looked up around that point, and saw the cracks in the ceiling just ahead of us growing bigger. I knew that it was about to collapse, so acting fast I rammed myself into Cynder with as much strength as I could manage, sending her flying forward. It was then that the ceiling gave way, and me and Cynder were separated from one another.

"Spyro! Are you alright?!" I heard her on the other side of the ruble.

"Yeah! I'm okay, but I can't get through! I'm drained!" I shouted back.

"Maybe I can try to find another way around!" She called out.

"Don't! It will take to long! Just get out of here Cynder!" I practically ordered her.

"I'm not leaving! you to die down here!" she pleaded, and I could have sworn I heard her crying.

"I'm not going to die Cyn! I'll find another way! I'll see you at Warfang, I promise!" I said as loud as I could so she'd hear me over the shaking of the entire world.

"But!"

"No buts! Just get the hell out of here Cynder!" I could hear her sobbing moving away from the ruble, indicating that she was leaving. I waited until the sobbing was gone before I started running back towards the giant purple gemstone. Once I got there I looked around trying to find another way out, but every other opening in the earths crust was sealed by the plates rejoining. I was trapped. "Damn it!" I shouted at the top of my lungs. I was scared, the more the thought of dying down there crept into my mind, the more afraid I became. I curled up into a ball, and started crying. I didn't want to die, I couldn't die. Not before I could tell Cynder that I... never mind. It was then that I sensed something coming at me from above, and looking up I saw a giant boulder speeding towards me! I barely managed to dodge it before it turned me into paste, and when I looked up I saw a light!

The boulder had created an opening in the earths crust, and I wasted no time in flying up towards it, dodging falling rocks and boulders that got in my way. But the closer I got the the opening, the smaller it became. It was closing in on itself, and once again I began to fear that I might be trapped. So I picked up the pace, flying as fast as my wings would allow me to go. When I finally flew through the hole I felt relief, I was out. But then I felt a sudden yank, followed by excruciating pain in my right wing. I let out a silent cry of agony as I looked down at it and saw that only half of it made it through the hole in time. The rest was cut off by the earth closing on it, and I was permanently grounded, and I will be for the rest of my life.

Without my wing it took me a month to realize that I was stranded on a tropical island about five kilometers in diameter, and the worst part was that the mainland with Warfang on it was within sight. I'm only a few miles off the coast, and I can't do anything to get there! (Sigh...)The island isn't all bad though, there is food aplenty like deer and elk, there is also a stream with fresh running water, and lots of fruit to choose from. The only main down side it the high number of grublins. Luckily with their master dead they seem rather calm so long as you don't venture to far into their territory. I've been on this island for three years now, and the only major confrontation with them happened two weeks ago.

I was out getting a drink at the stream when I heard the pained cry of a dragon in the forest that covered the island. I rushed over as fast as I could, but when I got there I was to late. At least thirteen dead grublins surrounded two adult dragons; one male and the other female. They were most likely on their way to Warfang, and stopped to rest on the island. Unfortunately the spot they chose to rest in was deep in grublin territory. The male was dead when I got their, but the female was still alive, though just barley, and was clutching something close to her chest. She looked at me with great (but understandable) shock when she saw me.

"Your-your supposed to be dead." She muttered weakly before she coughed up a bit of blood.

"Well I'm not, and neither are you." I said as reassuringly as I could.

"No-no, your wrong sir, I'm afraid I wont last much longer." she said sadly as tears began to fill up in her eyes.

"Hey- Hey! look at me. I got some red gems, they should help with the pain." I said as I pulled out a few red gemstones from the bag I always carry on me nowadays. I quickly crushed and ground them up before I applied them to her wounds. While I could tell that they weren't enough to fully heal her, they did relieve her of some of her pain.

"Thank you sir, that feels a bit better." She said as her rapid breathing slowed a bit. "But it still isn't enough."

"I know. I'm sorry..." I apologized.

"Please take this, and protect it for me." She said as she surprised me with the egg she was clutching protectively. "I can... see that you w-won't be able to... t-take it from here anytime soon, but can you least... look after my child? At least until... t-they are able to leave on... there own." She looked at me with pleading eyes, and I knew that this was her last request. So I reluctantly reached out and gently grasped the egg in my paw.

"I will." That was all I said. I was all I had time left to say before she closed her watery eyes and let out her final breath. I buried her and her mate on a clifftop with a great view of the main land, and I've done all I could to protect their egg from harm. And now I guess one could say, I'm the father of an over energetic pink fire dragoness that I still haven't even named yet. I'm stuck on either Flare or Ember.


	2. Chapter 2

"Papa! Come on, wake up papa!" A high pitched voice shouted excitedly as a pair of small paws were felt shaking me awake. "Come on! today's the day, you promised we'd start first thing this morning!" The voice said as I groggily opened my eyes, and saw the overly energetic pink dragoness I called my daughter.

"Morning Ember." I said as I stretched and let out a big yawn.

"Come on papa! let's go!" She said as she got behind me and started pushing on my left hind leg to make me move.

"What, no breakfast first?" I asked as she still continued to push until I finally moved. I heard a small "oaf", and when I looked back Ember was on her stomach from having fallen after I moved unexpectedly. It was then that she started laughing before she stood up and ran out of the cave we called home.

"RACE YOU PAPA!" She shouted happily as she ran out.

"YOU'RE ON!" I shouted back as I myself began to run.

I never expected this... being a father is... tiresome at times, but very rewarding. Everyday for the past five years I'd wake up, and she'd be there either still asleep, or playing with what ever she could amuse herself with. But... like with all good things, my time with her is limited. My little Ember... is growing up so fast, to fast for my liking. Yesterday she sneezed, and a small puff of embers burst out of her mouth. She was so exited when it happened, because it means that today is her first day of training in the element of fire. I am a little jealous actually. I had to wait until I was twice her age before my first flame.

I made it to an open field at least a mile in diameter (Yes I'm a dragon who's good at math) and I took notice of Ember celebrating her 'Victory'. There are very few trees in the area,and a small lake on the other side of the clearing. It is the perfect spot to train her, and it is far enough away from grublin territory that the vermin won't even notice.

"Papa! Papa! What do I do first?!" Ember shouted, sounding more than eager to start.

"Okay Ember, first some breathing exercise." I could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't to happy about that, and that she wanted to skip right to the good stuff, but we began anyways. "Breath in." She took in a deep breath. "Breath out." She exhaled. "Again, but this time try to lengthen your exhales as much as you can. In, then out." We repeated this simple breathing technique for a good ten minutes before I was satisfied. "Good Ember. Remember how that felt, because when you breath fire you'll feel almost exactly the same." I said as I watched her breathing heavily after a particularly long exhale. "You'll get more used to it as time moves on." I said as I was about to continue the lesson, but Ember interrupted me before I could.

"Um papa... I was wondering if maybe you could... show me your fire breath. You know so I... uh, have a goal to reach for." She asked as she looked at me with those big pleading eyes that she knew I couldn't refuse.

"Okay, I guess I could do that." I said as she cheered. "Now it's been about... I don't no eight, nine years since I've done this so I might not be as powerful as I used to be." I said getting a nod of understanding from her before I started my own quick breathing exercise to try and get reacquainted with the feeling. "Okay... here goes nothing." I said as I took in a deep breath, instantly seeing smoke coming out of my nostrils, and feeling heat welling up in my mouth, a feeling I actually missed this past decade. Finally I whipped my head forward and let out a roar as a wave of flames bust out of my mouth that reach all the way to the other side of the field. When I was finally done I looked down at the black streak my flames left on the ground feeling proud of myself. "Still got it." I boasted to myself before I looked over at Ember, and to say she was shocked... was an understatement. Her eyes seemed bigger than her head with her pupils dilated, and her jaw was basically on the ground. She obviously wasn't expecting me to have so much power, and to tell the truth; neither did I after all this time.

"W-Wow!" She said as her face turned from shock to amazement. "My papa is so cool!" She said while giving off a small cheer, and admittedly giving me a swelled ego.

"Okay, okay, enough with the demonstration Ember. Lets get back to it." I said as I began instructing her on how to call forth the elemental energy inside of her. "Now that you've got breathing down we need to draw out the fire within you. Yesterdays sneeze was just an accident, but it proves that you are ready for this Ember." I said reassuringly. "Now actually meaning to breath fire can be a little difficult, but once you let out that first flame, it's as natural as... well breathing I guess. But Ember if this seems to tough on you now, we could stop and try again when your a bit older." It was then I realized something very terrifying, when it comes to teaching, I'm just like Cyril!

"No, no! I'm ready now papa!" Ember said as she looked at me with determination.

"Good. Now close your eyes." She obeyed. "Now Ember do exactly what I tell you to do. A fire dragon's element originates from the heart, so now I need you to reach down into yours and find the fire within." She stood very still, and very quietly (not something I'm used to with her) as she searched.

"I-I feel something papa." She said after a couple of minutes.

"What?" I asked her softly.

"I... don't know... i-it's hot, but it doesn't burn. It actually feels... nice." She said.

"Good, now try to draw it forward. Imagine yourself reaching out and grabbing it. Do you have it?" She nodded, and I could already see thin wisps of smoke rising from her nostrils. "Your doing great Ember, now try pulling it towards you, but don't try and fight it if it doesn't want to come yet."

"Want to?" She questioned with her eyes still closed.

"Yes Ember. The one thing you have to remember about fire is that it's alive, and it can't be controlled." I said as the wisps coming from her nostrils started getting bigger, indicating that she was doing it. "Can you feel it in your throat yet?" She nodded, most likely afraid the she'd lose it if she spoke. "Good. Now, like we practiced. Breath in." She took a deep breath through her nose, sucking in some of the smoke. "And now... breath out." She whipped her head forward as she opened her maw, and out came a decent sized ball of fire! It flew about forty feet before it dissipated into nothingness, leaving only a tiny smoking scorch trail on the ground. "Well done Ember! Well done!" I praised her as I looked over the ecstatic look on her face. I can feel Great joy and pride welling up in my chest, but I can also feel great sorrow as well. It is like I said before, My little Ember is growing up to fast.


	3. Chapter 3

**(A.N.: Hey guys it's me! Sorry about the long wait, and undoubtedly sloppy chapter this is. I was dealing with some serious writers block because I just got so many ideas for this chapter that I couldn't decide on. So I chose the one that just brought the most emotion. hope you enjoy it!)**

"Ember I... I just want tot talk. What you saw... it wasn't me." I tried to get through to her, but she just stayed there, curled up into a small ball, looking at me with fear filled eyes. "Ember I-I'm sick, and... I never wanted you to see me like... you know I would never intentionally hurt you." I begged, but she remained in the same spot she'd been in for the last four days. She's been like this ever since... I screwed up, and... I gave myself over to the darkness that has plagued me since the eternal night. I've been fighting it, suppressing it for as long as I could, but I reached my limit as to how much I could hold back. Something that powerful can't just be bottled up, it... can't just be tossed aside and forgotten. Eventually... it will get out, and unfortunately... Ember was around when it happen.

I tried to hide it, I really did. I even went over to the grublin side of the island so Ember wouldn't be in any danger, but she followed me. You see... I know how to avoid grublins, I learned from experience, but Ember... they found her within minutes of her crossing the border I made for her. And when I heard her scream... I-I just lost it even more. I got angrier then I'd ever been before, and... the next thing I knew... I was standing in a pool of grublin blood, and Ember... she... she... her leg was cut, but... it wasn't the grublins who... She hasn't talked to me since, and she... barley swallowed her fear long enough to let me fix her leg, but after that... I can't even get with ten feet of her without her screaming for me to leave. I was... supposed to protect her, and... I failed...

"Ember... please..." I tried again, but the results were the same as before. "At least tell me... how your leg is." Still nothing but that fearful glance, but... I can't exactly blame her. She's just a youngling, and... I almost... If I hadn't regained control when I did, I'd have lost her, and... I'd have never forgiven myself. I looked back at her one more time before turning away, and... I went to a place that I haven't been to for the last seven year, the cliff on which Ember's birth parents were buried. I sat there... cleaning off the plant life that had grown in their grave markers, before... I asked them for forgiveness. "I don't know if... if either of you two can hear me, but if you can... I- I beg you two, forgive me. I was supposed to protect her from harm, but instead... I was the cause of it, and now... I don't know if she'll ever trust me again. But... why should she? I've withheld so much from her: She doesn't know who I really am on the mainland, she had to find out the hard way why I created a boarder on this island, and... worst of all... I haven't even told her about you." I cried out before I focused solely on the grave of Embers mother. "I-I failed you, not once... b-but twice: I failed to save you, and... I failed in my promise..." I bowed my head down so low in despair that I felt the top of my head hit the ground.

It's been... so long since I cried... the last time I did was... right before I left the swamp. I remember that it was over the other dragonflies picking on me for being... different. I would have liked to have seen the looks on their faces when they found out that I was the one who saved the world, but... that's in the past, my main problem is the here and now. How do I earn Embers trust again? How do we move past this? How... did I not see her standing there all this time? I was surprised when I looked up, and saw Ember standing at the base of the cliff, staring at me with eyes not filled with fear, but great sorrow.

"H-H-How long have you-"

"Long enough..." She said as she started to approach me, all the while staring at the graves of her birth parents. "Why... why didn't you tell me about them?" She asked in a sad tone.

"I-I just... I wanted to Ember, I really did. I planned on letting you know from the very beginning, b-"

"But why didn't you?" She looked back at me with pleading eyes.

"Because... Because the instant you hatched from that egg, I... I just couldn't. I just took one look at you and... you became mine." I smiled as the images of Ember's egg cracking before it burst open revealing a young pink dragoness flashed in front of my mind. "I... don't know if that's how that sort of thing works, but... that's how it happened." I said as a small chuckle escaped my smirking lips. A feeling I missed over the last few days. I looked back down at Ember who was just staring at the grave stones in deep though.

"How... How did they..."

"Die?" She nodded, and I could already see the tears forming in her eyes. "They... they died... protecting you Ember." I said as I put a comforting paw on her shoulder, and much to my great relief, she didn't push me away. "I was... to late to help them however, and before your mother... passed on, she gave me your egg, and she made me promise to always protect you,... until you were ready." she looked up at me with confused teary eyes.

"Ready for what?" She asked.

"To fly." the look on her face turned from sad confusion to one of amazement, almost as if she had no idea what the wings on her back were for. "To fly far away from here, see new places, go to Warfang, be with the rest of our people."

"You'll come with me too, right papa?" I'd missed hearing her call me that.

"I'm... I'm afraid not Ember." I said as I stretched out my right wing as far as it could go, reminding her of why she's never seen me fly before.

"Oh, um... how did... I mean where did that happen?" She asked me nervously.

"I think... it's time I told you a story Ember." She looked at me confused.

"Story?"

"Yes, and it is about a hero who... saved the world from a terrible darkness..."


	4. Chapter 4

"Remember Ember, not a sound. Go nice and slow." I whispered quietly as we both crouched down low eyeing the elk in front of us.

"O-Okay..." She muttered softly in a nervous voice. Today is Ember's first taste of what hunting hunting is like, but she... had some reservations about killing. Being only eight I can understand why, but she's going to have to learn at some point, so why not now?

I watched as she slowly started to circle around to the other side of the elk so she could scare it in my direction so she wouldn't have to be the one to kill it. Her stalking was almost perfect, not a sound was heard and she never took her eyes off our prey. But I could see it in her, a part of her wanted the elk to hear her... (Sigh). Maybe she is still a little to young for this, but... this island is still dangerous and should... should anything happen to me, I want her to be able to care for herself. It was then that I heard something. It wasn't Ember, she didn't even seem to hear it. It was to far to make the sound out clearly but it almost sounds like-"

"Papa!" Ember yelled causing me to turn to her just in time to see the elk jump over my crouched form and dash off. With out my wing I am unable to catch it, and I silently cursed myself for getting distracted so easily. "Papa, what was that?! You just let it go!" Ember actually sounded mad, and here I thought that she didn't want me to kill that elk. I was about to say something, but the same noise I heard before sounded out again. It was almost like-

"I still can't believe after all that stalking practice you would-"

"Ember be quiet for a second." I interrupted her while trying to hear the noise again.

"What is-"

"Shh. just listen." I said prompting Ember to do as I said.

"I don't her anything." She said after a few seconds.

"That's because you've never been in a war." I said instantly recognizing the far away sounds of battle happening on the grublins side of the island. "Head back to the cave, and don't come out until I return." I said as I started to run. I heard Ember calling out to me but I didn't reply, I just ran. I don't know for how far I ran, but the closer I got, the louder the sounds became. Soon I didn't just hear the battle, but I smelled it. The foul stench of death coupled with the metallic taste of blood on the wind reached me like a wave, and I... I felt pure unbridled fear enter me as questions started to pop up in my head. Who was fighting? Why now? What if the fighting spread, and Ember was caught in the middle? These questions plagued my mind as I ran, I had to know what was going on, I had to-"

My line if thought was broken by a large object flying over head before it crashed into the ground in front of me. I had no idea how close to the battle I was, but I now know who was fighting the grublins. The limp form on the ground... was a dead frost dragon. His eyes were glazed over as they stared into nothingness, no life shined in them, there was... nothing. My eyes were drawn away from the body by the screeching sound of a grublin warrior charging me. I sidestepped the beast before doing a simple spin attack and cutting it's stomach open with my tail blade. Once that grublin was dead I move on to the west and entered... into the total chaos that is a war-zone. Four dragons and at least three-dozen grublins were spilling each others blood for no apparent reason, and I just found myself in the middle of it.

"Gregoir to your left! Ignile duck!" A voice rang out through the chaos, a familiar, beautiful, almost angelic voice called out to me over all the others. My heart nearly jumped out of my chest when I looked to my left and saw her. Cynder, she was here, on his island... 'Ancestors she's even more beautiful than I remember.' But that thought was quickly shoved aside when I saw a pair of grublins who managed to escape her notice about to jump her.

"C-Cynder, Behind you!" I yelled out as loud as I could. She heard me, and quickly killed them with her venom breath, but then she... looked right at me, her emerald eyes were alight with emotions, but I couldn't tell which ones. I wasted no time in joining the battle. I clawed two grublins as I move towards her, burned and electrocuted five more as the got in my way. I didn't stop, I didn't falter, and before I knew it, me and Cynder were standing side by side on the battle field once more.

"Sp-"

"No time to talk. This side of the island is infested with these things!" I yelled before I was forced to grasp a grublin spear in my paw and throw it in front of a stray fire ball that Ignile breathed out. "You need to go now!" She didn't say anything before she simply took off, the other dragons followed her lead. "Head to the southern side I'll meet you there!" I called out as time slow down, and everything I saw was tinted blue. I quickly impaled a few grublin archers with a few ice spikes before taking off into the forest. I had just made it across the boarder when time reset itself, but that was far enough, at least... I hope it was. I really hope we didn't just piss those grublins off enough so that they decide to cross the border. I didn't stop running until I found myself in the little clearing where I trained Ember in her fire element. I was tired, panting, I haven't had a run like that in a long time.

"Ancestor... I'm out of shape." I gasped out before going over to the little lake for a quick drink. I looked down at my reflection and noticed the blood that had been spilled on me during the battle. I was about to clean myself off when I heard the powerful flapping of wings coming from behind me, followed by the sound of dragons landing behind me. Turning around I managed to get a good look at them. There was a fire dragon, probably Ignile; and earth who is most likely Gregoir, and an unknown electricity dragoness, but... none of them mattered right now. Not while I was staring down Cynder's furious glare. "Your... mad, aren't you?" She didn't even bother to answer me, she just rushed at me before she punched me hard enough to knock me off my feet.

"I haven't seen you for the last eleven years, and all you can do is ask me if I'm mad!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. "Well you know what Spyro, I'm not mad, I'm pissed!" 'Yep... she's mad.' "Why-" She didn't have time to continue before a ball of fire forced her to jump away from me. We all looked in the direction the fire ball came from, only to see Ember running in between me and Cynder ready to defend me.

"Don't you dare hit my papa again!" She shouted, trying to sound braver than she her shaking form led others to believe.

"P-papa?" Cynder was stunned, and the look on her face... if I didn't think that it would just get me another slap I would have been rolling around laughing. Looking at the rest of Cynder's group I saw that they were just as stunned as she was at this new revelation, but I also saw exactly how much of a bad shape they were in. If I hadn't shown up when I did... they probably would all be dead.

"Ember, relax. Everything's fine." I said as I stood up and put my left paw on her right shoulder.

"But she-"

"Is an old friend." I cut her off. 'I've been doing that a lot today.' "Look Ember, we've got some things to talk about okay, so why don't you show the others where we keep the red gems." She looked over the small group of dragons in front her before letting out a small sigh.

"But she-"

"Ember..."

"O-okay papa." She said reluctantly as she motioned for the others to follow her out of the clearing leaving me and Cynder alone.

"Y-you have a daughter?" The shock was still evident in her voice.

"Adopted, but yes, I have a daughter." I said as I watched Ember and Cynder's group heading off. "Look Cynder, I... I'm sorry that I didn't come back, but..."

"But what?! What excuse could you possibly have had for making everyone think that..." She trailed off as I extended, or rather tried to extend my right wing. "Oh... Ancestors! Spyro, how did this happen?" She asked as she moved to examine it better.

"Sadly... not all of me made it to the surface in time." She looked at me with a pained expression. "The ground closed up on me before I was completely out." I visibly winced as I recalled the pain that I felt on that day.

"I-I'm so sorry...I-"

"Have nothing to apologize for Cynder. You didn't cause this." I said as I offered her a hug, one that she gladly excepted. I forced to let go of her when she winced in pain, and upon looking over more closely now I took notice of the many cuts and bruises she'd gain in the battle. "You should probably follow me to the gem field." I said as I motioned for her to follow me. As we walked we talked about different thing that had been happening since Malefore's defeat. Cynder told me about how she spent a couple year traveling after the war before she went back to Warfang and joined the city guard, and I told her about my time on the island, and a little bit about Ember.

"She sounds like she'd do almost anything for you." Cynder said after I told her about this one time I got sick and Ember spent a week taking care of me.

"She's the best daughter anyone could ask for, I just wish..." We stopped as my trailed off as a certain memory entered my mind.

"What?" Cynder asked concerned by the look I had on my face.

"Cynder... do you remember my... condition?" I could tell from her expression that she didn't understand the question. "The one I got on... the eternal night." It was then that understanding dawned on her.

"Y-yes, of course I remember, but why is that-"

"Because it's gotten worse..." I mumbled sadly. "I... I've been fighting to keep it suppressed for years now, but that was before seven months ago." I held my head down in shame.

"What happened seven months ago?" She asked me concerned.

"I-I knew that I couldn't hold it in for much longer so I... went over to the grublin side to let it out a bit." The look on Cynder's face was one of complete shock. "I did it to keep Ember, so she'd never seem me like that, but I didn't count on her following me."

"W-what h-happened?" Cynder asked fearing the answer.

"The grublins got her." I said as I heard her scared screaming in the back of my mind. "When she screamed... when she called out to me I-I got so mad and... and the next thing I know I'm standing in a pool of blood and Ember... she was..." I couldn't bring myself to continue as I almost broke down in tears as the memory came back to me. Cynder tried to comfort me, but nothing she said made me feel any better. "She forgave me, but I'll never forgive myself." I wiped away a few tears as I looked Cynder strait in the the eye. "Cynder I... need you to do something for me."


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N.: HEY-YO! It's me! Just dropped in to apologize for the slow update, and to give you guys a fair warning about the cursing near the end of this chapter. Hope you don't mind, and if you do I'm truly sorry for any offense it might cause.**

"I-I don't know about this papa, I'm scared." Ember nervously admitted as she looked down the side of the cliff that we were currently sitting on.

"I know Ember, but you've got to learn to fly sometime." I said as I looked up to see Cynder hovering a few feet above us. "Just do what Cynder's doing and you'll be alright." I said as reassuringly as I could. Today would be another mile-stone in Ember's life; her first flying lesson, which Cynder has agreed to to supervise. I'm glad that she's here... for many reasons, but my main reason right now is that if Ember falls I wont be able to catch her.

"Come on Ember, you can do it!" I looked to my left to see Ignile cheering Ember on as the Gregoir and Belinda (the electricity dragoness) sat on either side of their fire breathing companion. Looking back down at Ember I could tell that her scales had turned to a darker shade of pink at the sound of Ignile's cheering (I'm staring to think she has a small crush on the older fire dragon). Finally she closed her eyes as tight as the would go before she started to flap her small wings as fast as she possibly could. At first nothing happened, but after a few seconds of trying she started to rise up off the ground. Inch by inch she rose until she was at Cynder's altitude.

"Glad you could join me." Cynder playfully said as Ember finally opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. at first she looked like she was about to freak out, but after Cynder gave her a few calming words, and had a chance to take in the the the island at her new vantage point, she went from nervous fear to the curious excitement that I'm more accustomed to. "Okay Ember now what you want to do is- HEY WAIT!" Cynder yelled as Ember suddenly took off; laughing the whole time while Cynder gave pursuit. Before long it was almost like they were playing tag up there, and Cynder was unknowingly IT.

"She's a natural." Gregoir said as he approached me from the right never taking his eyes off the two.

"Yeah..." I said rather solemnly as my heart swelled with both pride and sorrow just like when I started teaching her how to breath fire. "(Sigh)... She's growing up way to fast." I mumbled softly.

"If it's any consolation sir, I know how you feel." I turned to Ignile who was standing on my left. "I'm going through the same thing with my son back home who just started flying last month." He said with a small smile on his face. "You feel a great sense of joy watching them cross the next mile stone of their life, but the a great sorrow fills your heart because that mile stone also means that you have even less time to watch them grow up." He said as he let out a small sigh and Gregoir gave a small grunt of agreement.

"I don't suppose it gets any easier, does it?" I asked as I turned my attention back to the skies and saw that Belinda had joined in on the game of sky tag. They both shook their heads no in response, and we all let out a collective sigh.

***Five hours Later***

"OH-OH-OH! CAN YOU DO THIS?!" Ember asked Ignile before she breath out a ring of fire and flew through it before it dissipated. Ignile just smirked before he himself blew out a ring of fire and flew through it to which Ember just pouted at being bested.

"Okay... how's about this." Ignile said he performed a small trick of his own which Ember tried to copy.

"Doesn't she ever get tired?" Cynder asked me as she massaged her one of her sore wings.

"Sadly no." I replied as I watched Ember do a swirling fire technique midair to which Ignile simply applauded. "Which is a good thing, because you wont have to worry about her falling behind when you-"

"Spyro... we talked about this, I'm not about to separate a youngling from her father." Cynder said in a hushed voice so Ember wouldn't hear us before she motioned for me to follow her to a more secluded area. "I know why you think that us taking her is best Spyro, but I just... it just doesn't feel right. Adopted or not you're her father, and... she needs you." She said rather solemnly as she stared straight at me her eyes filled with mixed emotions.

"I know that, but... I'm just trying to do best by her. I don't want her to to constantly have to worry about the grublin on the other side of the border, and I'm... not the most stable person to be looking after her right now." I looked away as the images of Ember's scared face entered my mind. "Cynder I... I know I'm asking a lot of you, but even after eleven years apart I still... (Sigh) I still trust you over anyone else." Cynder's gaze shifted a little almost like she was hoping I'd say something else, but what I don't know.

"I-I appreciate that Spyro, but I just can't. I don't even have a house since I'm still living in the dragon temple with the guardians." She said sadly.

"It'd still be a step up from a cave." I pointed out.

"True, but I-"

"Cynder... I know you well enough to know that you'r hiding the real reason why you don't want to take her, so please just tell me." She clammed up pretty quickly after that.

"I... I don't..." She trailed off as she looked away before letting out a small sigh. "A lot can happen in eleven years Spyro... and I mean a lot."

"Like what?" I asked her both concerned and curious by her statement.

"I... once tried to... have a child of my own." That statement felt like a dagger flew into my heart.

"S-so d-does that mean that you have-"

"A mate... not anymore." She said sadly as a few tears started to run down her cheeks. I felt sorry for her, but at the same time I couldn't help but be a bit relieved and I hated myself for it.

"C-Cynder... I'm sorry." I said as I gently wiped away a few of her tears before pulling her in for a hug. "What happened to him?" I asked her softly, but I never expected the answer I got.

"NOTHING!" Her sorrow turned into pure unbridled rage. "NOTHING HAPPENED TO THAT BASTARD, AND EVERY-TIME I SEE HIM IT'S LIKE HE'S MOCKING ME WITH HIS PRESENCE." she screamed into my shoulder

"What did he do to make you hate him so much?" I asked as I hugged her a bit tight to try and calm her down a bit.

"HEY NEVER TRULY HAD FEELINGS FOR ME!" She shouted she broke away from me. "THAT POMPOUS ASS ONLY WANTED THE CHILD OF ONE OF THE WORLDS SAVIORS TO SERVE AS A STATUS SYMBOL!" It was then that I saw dark clouds swirling there way into my vision. I was getting so mad at Cynder's former mate that my inner darkness was just about to take over, but what Cynder said next shocked me out of it. "AND HE LEFT ME WHEN I- When I..." she started crying again paying no head the to darkness the surrounded me. "He left me when I found out that I'm... barren..."


	6. Chapter 6

**(A.N.: In this chapter I'm going to try alternating between point of views so let me know how I do okay. P.S. this chapter might get a little... gory.)**

 *****SPYRO P.O.V.*****

"Papa?" Ember's small paws shook me in my sleep. "Papa what are you two doing out here?" I heard her ask.

'Two' I thought as I slowly opened my eyes with my head still on the ground and took notice of the grass underneath me and the rising sun off in the distance. I then felt something pressing against my left side. I felt a great heat rise in my cheeks and my heart skipped two beats when I turned my head and accidentally bumped my nose against the Cynder's! I hurriedly scrambled to my feet in silent panic eternally grateful to what ever gods existed that she didn't wake up. Once I felt my heart beat return to normal, I found myself staring at her. She curled herself tighter to make up for the warmth she must have lost when I moved away from her before mumbling cutely in her sleep. It was then that the events of last night entered my mind as I remembered how she told me of her former mate, and of how he mistreated her simply because she couldn't bare him a child. 'That bastard! If I ever meet him, I'll make him wish he was dead!' I mentally cringed at the severity of that line of thinking as it entered my mind. That wasn't me, I'd never do that. It had to be the darkness with in me. But in this instance, I happened to agree with it. 'No one messes with my Cyn-'

"Papa!" Ember's voice brought me back to reality. "Y-Your eyes are..." She didn't finish as her voice trailed off and she looked at me with a mix of fear and concern etched on her face. Worriedly I rushed to the nearest body of water and stared down at my reflection. Ember was right, my eyes were now pure white and glowing, with no sign of my usual lavender purple irises. Small wisps of black shadowy smoke could also be seen seeping from my scales followed by a intense throbbing coming from the back of my skull. I clutched head tightly trying to hold it in, and my breath caught in my throat as the pain traveled down my neck and stopped at the base of disfigured right wing, prompting me to scream out in agony!

"Spyro!" I looked over to see Cynder running towards me, my scream must have woken her. She stopped about ten feet away from me and I could see Ember poking her head out from behind her right hind leg. They both stared at me with great fear and worry as they watched the monster I was becoming. Cynder gently stepped forward as she started to speak. "Spyro you-" I didn't let her continue.

"S-STay aWAY From ME!" I shouted, the pitch of my voice changing from normal to what I can only describe as demonic, but she still continued to advance.

"No! Spyro let me help I know-"

"I SAID STAY AWAY!" MY voice was now completely demonic, and before I knew it I was slamming my left fist into the ground and I watched in horror as she narrowly dodged an earth spike that would have impaled her in her stomach. It was then through sheer willpower that I manged to regain control of my limbs. "I'm sorry..." That was all I said before I tried to run, but I didn't get far before Cynder tackled me down to the ground and pinned me, Then... everything faded to black...

 *****CYNDER P.O.V.*****

I managed to pin him under me before he could get to far, but now I was regretting it as I struggled to hold his squirming form beneath me. "CALM DOWN SPYRO! I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU!" I shouted as he finally stopped moving. 'Couldn't have been that easy.' My thoughts were confirmed as he slowly turned his head to face me and let out a loud growl before I was forced to jump out of the way of a black lightning bolt. "Okay, if that's how you want it..." I said as I breathed out miniature tornado that quickly grew in sized and swallowed Spyro whole.

"Papa!" Ember's screams reminded me of her presence.

"He's fine, but you need to get out of here Ember!" I shouted, but she wouldn't move as she watched Spyro struggling to escape the heavy winds I trapped him in. Whether it was do to fear or stubbornness I can't say, but I was glad when I saw Gregoir appear to find out what was going on. "Gregoir grab Ember and get out of here!" I ordered him. He simply nodded and grabbed the protesting child before flying off. It was then that I heard a demonic roar coming from Spyro as he finally break free of the tornado. Once he was out, he let off another ungodly roar, but this one was not of rage like the last one, it was filled with pain! Spyro had suddenly craned his neck around and bit down hard on what little remained of his right wing, and with great force yanked it off his back! "O-Oh Ancestors!" I screamed in pure horror at his self mutilation. He then tossed to dismembered half-limb aside only for it to turn to ash before even touching the ground. He then let out another pain filled scream as a black liquid briefly squirted out of the new hole on his back before the skin around it started to bulge and move. I wanted to stop what was happening, to help him with his pain, but I was frozen in place.

His screaming finally stopped all of a sudden and I was beginning to think that it was all over, but I've never been more wrong in my life (Well so long as you don't count the eleven years I thought he was dead, or how I though my previous mate actually cared for me). He then screamed out even louder than before as he suddenly keeled over due to the pain. I was about to rush over to him when the black liquid from before burst out of his back like a geyser and brought with it a new wing! It was then he lost consciousness do to the pain, and the darkness retreated back under his scales. I was about to check on him when suddenly..."

"PAPA! Ember cried as she flew past me to check on Spyro. I looked back to see Gregoir right behind her nursing a scratch on his left cheek.

"I'm sorry ma'am she got away from me..." He said with the shame of being humiliated by an eight year old girl heavy in his voice.

"I-It's okay..." I mumbled as I slowly walked over to the sleeping Spyro to check on him, or to be more precise his new wing. It was full formed and looked to be the same length as his left wing. I nearly jumped when I thought I saw it move, but it was just Ember trying to shake Spyro awake. "Ember... let him rest he-"

"This is all your fault!" She shouted at me as he young eyes blazed with anger. "What did you say to him that made him so angry?!" She asked me as tears started to fall from her eyes. I was about to say that he was like this when I woke up, but then the images of last night entered my mind. I could feel an unmistakable blood lust rising while I told him about my former mate, but I was so caught up in my own self-pity that I completely ignored it, and because of that Spyro went through so much pain just now and... it was all my thought!

"This is not miss Cynder's fault young one." Gregoir came to my defense, but I soon regretted it. "After all it's not her fault that you father is a mon-" He didn't have time to finish saying that accursed word before I had him pinned under me and I could feel my rage reaching a boiling point.

"HE'S NOT A MONSTER! HE'S THE SWEETEST, KINDEST, MOST CARING PERSON IN THE WORLD!" I screamed in his face. I took a deep breath before continuing. "WOULD A MONSTER HAVE LISTENED TO ME WHINE ABOUT HOW MY MATE USED ME JUST SO I WOULD BARE HIM A CHILD THAT WOULD BE USED AS A STATUS SYMBOL?!" Gregoir was taken back by this since he never knew about that, in fact no body knew about that. "AND WOULD A MONSTER HAVE COMFORTED ME?! ALLOWED ME TO CRY ON HIS SHOULDER?! TO...to feel..." I trailed off after that before finally getting off of Gregoir and turn to look at Spyro only find Ember staring at me over his sleeping head with a shocked expression plastered over her face.

"To feel what?" She asked as she slowly approached me before placing her right paw on my left one, apparently forgiving me. I stayed silent for a little while before I looked from her to Spyro and let just one word escape my mouth.

"... love."


	7. Chapter 7

*****Dream: Spyro P.O.V.*****

"Gotcha!" A five year old Ember shouted playfully as she pinned down my annoying, glowing, dragonfly of a brother Sparx, before she started bouncing for joy on top of the smaller insect.

"Alright! You got me! Now can you please let me up!" He cried out, but she didn't listen. Instead she stopped bouncing and leaned down very slowly with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Wait... you not gonna... OH GOD!" He shouted as he tried to get away from her grip but was unable to. "Spyro!" He called out to me before he was given a wet slobbery lick by his surrogate niece. I laughed at the site of the two, but even I figured that was enough torture for Sparx today. I was about to call Ember over, but-

"Ember, that's enough I think uncle Sparx has had enough for today." Cynder called out from my left.

"Yes Mama!" Ember said as she got off the glowing bug and ran over to us before she nuzzled our legs affectionately.

"YUCK!" Sparx cried out once he was up, and he wasted no time in trying to shake himself clean of Ember's spit. We all laughed at his antics while he just stopped his shaking and glared at the three of us.

This is a dream... I know that, because Sparx is here, Ember called Cynder mama, and it also doesn't help that we're standing in the middle of a white void! But... It's a good dream, one I'd give anything to make it a real. I watched as everyone seemingly faded away, before-

"Gotcha!" A five year old Ember laughed as she pinned down Sparx again. This had been going on for what felt like hours now, we'd do this silly routine and then start over again in a seemingly endless loop. But I don't mind. Seeing something like this... it fills my heart with... joy, the kind of joy I once thought impossible until Ember first hatched from her egg.

"Well this is... cheery, isn't Spyro?" A demonic voice suddenly rang out from every direction as everything started to turn a shade of red. The next thing I notice was my dream family seemingly turn to ash before being blown away a gust of wind. "Don't worry, they aren't real." The voice said.

"I know." I simply said as I ignored the figure that was slowly forming behind me. The redness of the void started to intensify in front of me, and before I knew it I was staring into the pitch void of nothingness. I turned around around, but instead of seeing more darkness, I saw that the void on this side had returned to it's original white color. It was like the void was now half light and half dark, only I was in the dark and in the light was-"

"Of course you know Spyro. After all, it's not like the great and mighty purple dragon can be fooled by such a cheap allusion." A dragon, formed out of swirling shadows stood in the light mocking me. I simply sighed at him since this isn't the first time we've met and talked like this.

"What do you want now?" I asked him rather irritably. At this point my inner darkness was little more than an annoyance, like a buzzing fly on the wall that just wouldn't go away. He was only to be feared when he tried to get out of our... shared space.

"A thank you would be nice." He said cockily as he started clawing at the white ground beneath him out of boredom.

"For what?" I asked confused since I had little to no idea of what happens outside my body when he takes over. His only response was to point at my right wing. I gasped in surprise as I looked back, only to see that my once half wing was now fully restored. "T-This is a trick!" I shouted at him. The condition of my body here is a reflection of my body in the real world, so the only reason why I'd have a wing now would be-

"Oh Spyro, I assure you that it is not a trick. You finally have our wing back, and you should thank me again for the pain I spared you from when I regenerated it." He winced as he recalled the pain, but I was still stuck on the whole "our wing" part.

"It's not "our wing", it's MY wing." I said rather annoyed. It was bad enough that we shared the same mind, but I wasn't about to let him have my body. "And besides, the only reason you regrew was so that you could cause destruction on the mainland." I knew that he hated it here on this island, and in truth... that was one of the only few things the two of us had in common. If it wasn't for Ember, the solitude of this place would have... consumed me a long time ago.

"OH SPYRO! HOW YOU WOUND ME!" He exclaimed dramatically before he started to shed fake tears. "All I wanted was to help you bring poor little Ember to the mainland." He said as an image of my daughter suddenly appeared right next to him. "She would be so heart broken if you didn't go with her." He said as he gently put a paw on her right shoulder.

"Please come with me Papa." She begged me as she looked up at me with tear filled blue eyes.

"I-Ember, You know why I cant." I tried to her.

"Then I'll stay here with you." She said as she slowly started to approach, but she stopped when I took a few steps back. "D-Don't you w-want me anymore?" Her voice was starting to crack as the tears in her eyes threatened to spill over.

"Of course I do, but I... I just-"

"Just what?" A second Ember appeared out of nowhere. "You just don't want me around you anymore. Is that it?" She said rather angrily in a high pitched voice.

"N-No that... that's not-"

"So that's how it is!?" A third Ember suddenly shouted. "You finally found someone to take me away from you, and you just jump at the chance!" A fourth Ember said, and it wasn't long before at least a dozen more joined in.

"Why Papa!" The seventh Ember cried out.

"Please don't abandon me." The first sobbed.

"How could you?" Asked the ninth.

"I HATE YOU!" The twelfth shouted at the top of her lungs. That's what did it... that's when my resolve finally faltered and I felt myself collapse onto the ground and I started to cry. Everything went silent at that point and all I could here were my own sobs as I cried my eyes out. I stayed like that for what felt like hours before 'he' finally spoke.

"Well that was... interesting." His voice caused me to look up only to notice that the Ember's were gone, and the two of us were alone again.

"Interesting... MORE LIKE A CHEAP SHOT! WHAT GIVES YOU THE NERVE TO USE MY OWN DAUGHTER AGAINST ME?!" My voice carrying the rage of at least thousand suns.

"Our daughter. When are you going to learn that while you may see me as a separate entity, I'm as you as you are." That statement only served to fuel my rage. "Or... yes, yes that's it!" He suddenly blurted out.

"What's it?" I asked him annoyed.

"Even in death... you are so afraid of 'him' that you think I am 'him' trying to come back through you." A smug look appeared on his face. Almost like he won some sort of award that he could gloat about to the entire world.

"HE. IS. DEAD." I simply growled out.

"And yet..." He paused to let out a small chuckle. "I may have been given thought thanks to his power, but make no mistake Spyro, I am and always have been a part of you, and you alone." Deafening silence followed for an agonizingly long period of time before he finally spoke, seemingly bored of our chat now. "It seems I'm still not getting through to you." He let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine you're about to wake up anyways, but my earlier point still stands. Ember will still be devastated if you force her away. It wont matter the reason. So unless the possibility of her hating you seems appealing to you, either go with her to Warfang or allow her to remain on the island with you. Your choice bro."

I was about to say something to him, but he suddenly vanished before I could let a word slip past my lips. A few seconds later I could feel myself returning to the realm of consciousness.

 *****Real world: Spyro P.O.V.*****

I groggily opened my eyes noticing that I was on the grass bed I slept on in my cave. I made to get up and stretch, but was halted when I felt a pressure on my right side. Looking over I found myself blushing as I once again accidentally bumped noses with Cynder who was laying protectively right next to me. Unfortunately this time she was awake to know it happened. Shocked we both bolted straight up and apart only for me to suddenly step on something that caused pain to shoot through my back and to trip and fall flat on my side.

"Spyro, are you okay?" She asked me as she reappeared at my side and helped up with a huge blush still evident on her face.

"Y-Yeah I just tripped over..." I trailed off as I looked down at what caused me to lose my balance, only to see my right wing completely restored just like it was when I had my 'conversation' with my darker half.

"It's great isn't it? now you might be-" I didn't let her finish before I suddenly took off out of the cave, going ancestors knows where.

"PAPA?!" I heard Ember call out as I ran past her. Normally I would have stopped to talk to her, even if I was in a hurry for something, but my body was moving on it's own, and I had know idea where it was taking me. Before I knew it I found myself running right towards a cliffs edge, and I felt myself doing something I hadn't done in years. I was flapping my wings! A few seconds later I reached the edge and allowed myself to jump, and for the first time in eleven years I felt myself touch the sky.


	8. Chapter 8

_**(A.N.: Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry about the long wait, but you see I kind of did something really stupid and broke my computer, and I'm sure your all aware of how expensive new computers are. So... I've basically been busy saving up money to by a new one this whole time, but now I've got one and while I'm still working out a few bugs in the system I'm back to typing for you all. So until next time, See you all later!)**_

"Ember? Ember?!" I called out in search of my daughter. "Hey, have any of you seen Ember?" I asked Cynder's team as I passed by them while they were making final preparations to leave tomorrow. Belinda silently shook her head 'no' while giving off a small shrug. Gregoir did the same but glared at me, not that I can blame him given what he saw, I'm just glad Cynder managed to convince him to keep it a secret.

"Hmm... Ember... Oh yeah!" Ignile said after a bit of thought. "I saw here a few minutes ago on a cliff talking to a couple wooden posts a few minutes ago." The other's looked at him like he'd grown a second head or something causing him to give off a nervous chuckle before he looked back towards me. "Um... care to explain that one to me sir."

"I... At the time I couldn't find any other way to mark their graves." The look of confusion on their faces were clearly asking me to clarify what I just said. It also made me wonder if dragons actually buried their dead. Sometimes being raise by dragonflies can lead to some really weird understanding amongst my kind. "Ember's parents... that's... where I buried them. She's probably saying good bye." I said rather solemnly as I looked around at everyone's equally solemn expressions. By now everyone was aware that Ember was adopted, but I guess none of them ever considered that Embers birth parents were still on, or rather in, the island.

"Ah... I see..." Ignile said sadly as he looked over in the general direction of the cliff. He seemed to be contemplating something for a good long while before he finally deciding to speak. "Um sir, is it okay if I talk to you real quick?" He asked me before turning to the others that were present. "Alone." That was all he needed to say before Belinda and Gregoir vacated the area leaving the two of us to our own devices. "Um... I-I know that this may seem like it's coming from out of nowhere, but... Ember's mother... do you happen to know her name?" I felt myself raise one of my eyebrows in confusion at the question, but I simply ignored the feeling as I thought back to that fateful day. Sadly though I don't think she actually did give me her name before she... I left out a sad sigh before I looked back towards Ignile.

"I'm sorry Ignile but I... never actually caught it. I was... to busy trying to... ease her pain." I said as the images of her pained and dying flashed in front of my eyes.

"Pain?" Ignile asked.

"Yeah... She and her mate were... attacked by grublins when they landed on the wrong side of the island. I was... to late..." I trailed off as more flashes of that day came to mind. "With her dying breath... she begged me to take her egg and... raise it as my own."

"And that egg turned out to be Ember's?" He asked a question with an obvious answer. In fact his curiosity made me think he was trying to find some kind of closure while at the same time trying to confirm something. "I know that this might be a strange request, but could... could you describe what she looks like?" It was then that a sudden thought popped up in my head.

"Do you... know who Ember's mother is?" I asked connecting the dots.

"Maybe... It's possible. A few years ago I received a letter from my- from an old friend." The sudden change in his speech clearly hinted at this 'old friend' of his being something more. My first thoughts were of family.

'Is he related to Ember some how? Could he be her uncle? A distant cousin?' The more these thought swam in my head the more certain I was of that being the case.

"You see... the letter stated that my... friend was heavy with child, and by now the child would be Ember's age, but back then there were still places that had yet to fully stabilize after the war so I wrote her back encouraging her to come to Warfang and stay with me and my family. But there was a small problem." He said as his head shifted east. "She live on a land far off in that direction, so she would have had to cross the entire ocean to get to Warfang." I then realized what he was implying.

"This island would have been one of the most likely rest stops for a pregnant dragoness, especially if they had recently given birth." All Ignile did was nod before he made to speak again, but I stopped him as I began recalling the features of Ember's mother. Sadly though with each word that left my mouth Ignile looked more and more crest fallen. "- She... also wore a golden breast plate with a heart shaped ruby imbedded in the center, and a pair of matching braces on her for paws." It was then that Ignile completely brook down in tears where he sat.

"That's her! T-That's Blaze!" He called out between sobs "Our mother gave her that breast plate and bracers!" He cried out confirming my earlier suspicion that he was somehow related to Ember.

"Are you saying that... you're Ember's uncle?" I looked to the left to see none other than Cynder walking towards us, clearly drawn in by the sound of Ignile's sobbing. He took a moment to steady himself and get his sobbing under control before he spoke again.

I-It's possible, she looks just like Blaze, but... the way you described Ember's mother could have matched any number of dragoness'. And that plate and those bracers, I'm sure there are millions like that set out there. There's no way of knowing for sure unless I see my family's crest on the inside, and I'm not about to dig up a grave on a whim." It was clear that he was in denial, not wanting to come to terms that his sister was dead. Deep down a part of me wanted to admit that I actually kept the set to give to Ember when she was big enough to wear it, but another part of me wanted to keep it hidden. I was afraid that if Ignile and Ember did actually share blood, he'd invoke his right as her uncle to take her away from me to raise as his own. But I just couldn't do it, he needed closure and Ember... she disserved to know if she had blood relatives out there somewhere.

"(Sigh...) Ignile." I called out to him trying to get him to stop ranting about every possible way that his sister could still be alive some where. His last theory was that she never left her home out east and was just to busy to write him.

"Ignile." Cynder spoke out this time as she gently shook him gaining his attention before she motioned towards me with a simple head movement.

"I uh... I actually kept the set to... give to Ember when she got big enough to fit in it." I said as I took in his fear filled gaze, obviously not wanting to see the proof for himself, but he followed me anyways to the cave that has given me shelter for little over a decade. He stopped at the entrance frozen in place so Cynder stayed with him my I grabbed the paw-made sack that I packed the set in to take with us to Warfang. I didn't even have to hand it over to him because he snatched it from me as soon as I got close enough for him to do so. He wasted no time in digging through the sacks contents like a dragon possessed before he suddenly stopped. He then slowly and carefully pulled out the gleaming chest piece bracers, cradling them like the were the most precious objects in the world. He gently put the bracers down on the ground, and I held my breath as he slowly turned the breast plate over. It was then that Ignile's will faltered as the tears started to fall from his eyes yet again. I immediately found myself at his side looking over his shoulder, and there directly behind here the ruby, was an engraved rose surrounded by fire.


	9. Chapter 9

"This is... not what I was expecting." In truth, I had no idea what to expect upon arrival to the dragon capital. I thought since it's around midday that: I'd see crowded marketplaces; heavily fortified walls; maybe even younglings playing around in the streets. But instead the markets are empty; the walls unguarded; and not a single youngling besides Ember in sight.

"Where is everyone?" Gregoir stated the question that was on all our minds.

"I don't like this, spread out and search." Cynder's order was quickly obeyed by the rest of her group. "Stay close." She told me as we started to move through the city streets in search of... well... anything actually.

"Wow! This place is... amazing!" Ember exclaimed bubbly as she took in the tall buildings and architecture of the city; clearly not bothered by the lack of inhabitants.

"It is impressive..." I said as I looked around realizing how little of the city I actually saw while fighting that golem in the war.

"It's the capital for a reason Spyro, it's just not normally this..."

"Disserted?" I finished Cynder's sentence, and she nodded in response as we continued to search. We searched until sunset before we finally met up with the others right in front of the cities dragon tower.

"Find anything?" Ignile asked with desperation in his voice.

"No." Gregoir replied bluntly, and Belinda simply shook her head, but I could tell from their faces that they were all worried.

"We got nothing either." I said as I continued looking around in hopes of finding something.

"Where could they have gone?" Cynder asked while sporting a face that said she was in deep thought while the others (except Belinda) were voicing their fears for there friends and families. I briefly looked down at my feet to check on Ember, only to notice that she wasn't there! I quickly took a look around and let out a breath that I didn't realize that I was holding when I saw her about to go into a nearby alley.

"Ember, what are you doing over there?!" I called out as I started making my way to her.

"I-I think I found something!" She called out. At this point I heard the others walking behind me also curious to see what she found. When we all arrived we saw the unconscious forms of two people me and Cynder instantly recognized.

"Sparx?! Hunter?!" I called out as soon as I saw my brother lying unconscious in the right hand of a former comrade.

"What happened to them?" Ignile asked while Cynder and Belinda moved to check on them.

"They're asleep." Cynder said as she shook them trying to wake them.

"Okay... so wake them up." Gregoir said as he was getting impatient for answers.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?!" Cynder snapped as she got fed up with shaking Hunter and instead proceeded to slap his face repeatedly with the flat of her tail blade. It was around this time that I heard a loud crashing sound come from the streets. For some reason none of the others seemed to have heard it so I went out to investigate with Ember following me closely. When I rounded the corner I spotted the source of the noise instantly. something had knocked over a flower pot causing the ceramic bowel to break and the dirt and blue flowers to be scattered everywhere. Looking around it only took me a moment to spot the culprit. A red scaled tail was sticking out from behind some crates on the other side of the street, and judging from how badly it was shaking I could tell it's owner was scared out of their mind.

"Hey... are you okay little one?" I asked as I slowly walked around the crates and spotted a young male fire dragon who looked to like he was barely older than Ember. Upon realizing that I had discovered him the youngling tried to crawl away from me, but the crates he was behind were stacked in such away the he was basically stuck in a corner.

"G-Go away!" He said scared out of his mind.

"Hey, It's okay little one, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." I said as calmly as I could while I tried to coax him out of his hidey whole. He finally worked up the courage to look back at me. I almost laughed my purple but off when his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates when he saw me.

"P-P-Purple..." He stuttered out, clearly at a loss for words upon seeing me, which prompted me to let out a small chuckle as he continued to stutter.

"My name is Spyro little one, what's yours?"

"F-F-Flame sir..." He said as he slowly crawled out from behind the crates with his eyes still wide, and I could tell he was trying not to blink (probably thinking I'd disappear if he did).

"Flame, that's a strong name." I said as I gave him a small smile which nervously he returned. "Now Flame, me and my friends just got here, do you think you can tell us what happened here?" I asked him a calmly as I could, but the instant the words left my mouth; Flame's smile disappeared all together and small tears began to form around his eyes. The fatherly instincts that I developed while raising Ember kicked in and I brought the young fire breather in to a soft yet firm hug, allowing his to cry into my left foreleg.

"T-There all gone... father, mother, big bro... everyone just..." He said in between sobs. "I woke one day and t-they were all gone! I-I've been alone f-for almost two weeks now." Looking over him I saw nothing that would suggest that he was lying. His undoubtedly orange-red scales looked nearly brown from all the muck and grime he had on him, and his ribs were pressing against his hide so much that he looked just like a walking skeleton!

"When was the last time you ate little one?" I asked him concerned about the condition he was in.

"I-I don't know... the cities dining hall's been closed since everyone just left, and I've barley been able to find anything in other peoples homes." It was then that his stomach started rumbling, further indication of his malnourishment. I was about to reach into one of my pouches to grab some of the left over deer from the last time the group set camp, but someone beat me to it.

"Here take this." I looked down to my right and saw Ember with her share of the leftovers on the ground in front of her. Poor flame was practically standing in a puddle of drool at the sight of the meat before he pounced on it like he thought that it would run away before he could devour it. Chuckling a tiny bit I proceeded to place my own slightly larger share on the ground right next to where Embers used to be, and had to hold back even more laughter when he pounced on that one with as much enthusiasm as the first. "feeling better?" Ember asked right after he let out a small belch.

"Much. Thanks a bunch, um..."

"Ember." She introduced herself to her fellow youngling before gestured towards me. "And this is my papa, Spyro."

"Papa... wait... WHAT!" He suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs. At first he voiced his disbelief until I confirmed Embers claim, then he started bombarding her with questions about me. Apparently I'm the guy that all younglings want to be like when they grow up, well... all the males at least. Ember tried her best to answer some of the questions, but I could tell that Ember was getting annoyed, and we got way off track from where our conversation began.

"Flame." I called his name, and just like that he was standing at attention waiting to here what I had to say, all of the nervous fear from before completely gone.

"Yes sir Spyro sir!" He might as well have been saluting as he puffed out his chest a bit more.

"Please drop the whole 'sir' thing, there's no need to be so formal." He relaxed a bit, but the gleam he got in his eyes as he looked at me was still a bit unnerving. "Okay can you tell me exactly what you know about well... all this?" I gestured to the empty city around us. He seemed to deflate a bit as he remembered the cities' current predicament, but not as bad as it was before.

"I... I really don't know much si- I mean Spyro. When I mother sent me to bed two weeks ago everything seemed normal, but... when I woke up... everyone was just gone. That's what all the others said as well when we-"

"Others?" Ember interrupted. "I thought that you said you were alone?"

"Oh... did I say others? I mean um... OTTERS! Yes... the otters told me to..." The stern look I sent his way told him that I wasn't buying his little lie.

"Flame... who else is here?" I asked in the voice I only used when ever Ember had ever done something wrong.

"Please forgive me for lying, but you have to understand... I'm the oldest so I have to protect them! I have to-"

"Oldest?!" I screamed out in shock. "You mean that there are others younger then you here?!" I said looking around for any sign of any other younglings, but found none. Flame gave a weak nod in confirmation, scared at the volume my voice rose to. Poor kid probably thought he was in trouble for something. "Where are they?" I asked in a much calmer voice.

"T-They never leave the tower, before it was only me and Ignitron who left for food, but he's sick and can't come out with me anymore. It's scary having to go through all these empty home alone." He mumbled under his breath ashamed. "Everyone else that could take his place is busy taking care of the hatchlings, or watching over the- MISTER IGNILE!" Flame suddenly shouted before he darted past me and Ember and running right up to Ignile who had just now come out of the alley where Ember found Hunter and Sparx.

"Flame?! Oh thank the ancestors your okay!" Ignile said as he wrapped the younger fire dragon into a firm hug.

"You two know each other?" I asked as I walked up to them.

"Yes Spyro, Flame and his parents live right next door to me and my family. In fact I- "

"Mister Ignile..." Flame cut him off. "Ignitron... he's very sick." This seemed to cause Ignile's heart to shoot up his throat.

"Where is he?" He asked Flame, the desperation heavy in his voice.

"In the dragon tower come on." Flame said before he and Ignile ran of to the tower leaving me to round up the others and lead them there as well. It didn't take long before we were all standing in the third floor central chamber with Hunter secured on to Gregoir's back and Sparx resting inside of one of my bags giving off a faint glow that could be seen through the fabric. What we saw there sent a pained feeling to my heart, because there right in front of our very eyes was a group of about two-dozen younglings who either looked half starved, to sick to move, or like they'd just about given up hope that they'd survive till morning. Ignile was personally standing next to a young fire dragon who looked even worse then the others.

"Papa... I want to go back to the island." I looked down at Ember who was sitting between my forepaws with a scared look on her face.

"I know Ember, I do to." I told her honestly. "But this is where we're needed." With that me and Gregoir being the only ones, along with the currently busy Ignile, who had any parental skills; stepped forward to aid these poor young souls, while Cynder and Belinda headed out towards the cities surrounding forests to get some much needed food for their empty bellies.


	10. Chapter 10

_**(A:N. Hey guys it's me, I'm back. Now I just want to apologize for the long delay, but I got so busy with preparing for my highschool graduation that... I forgot all about this story! HAHAHA! I know that I have no right to apologize for that, and I've already beat myself up for it. I'm also sad to say that further delay are highly probable in the future because I'm mainly focusing on getting into a good collage for the next semester. So please people just bare with me, and hopefully I'll be updating again soon.)**_

"There's no sign of them in the mountains to the north-west." I reported to Gregoir as the two of us entered the cities western gate after returning from yet another fruitless search for the missing adults.

"The western shores are clear as well I'm afraid." He said while lutting out a loud sigh of discontent. "Were are they? Ther've been gone for nearly six months now and still no sign of them." He said in a frustrated huff as we passed by an abondoned bakers shop.

"I hate to say it-"

"Then don't."

"But I fear we must asume the worst." Gregoir stopped abruptly and stared at me with an over zealous glare.

"Don't say that Spyro! Especially when we get back to the tower! Imagine how it would make the younglings feel if their so-called hero was giving up." He basically spat out the word hero.

"It seems that you still don't trust me." I said with a drawn out sigh.

"I've only kept you little secret from the others because Cynder vouches for you. But the way I see it, your nothing more then a ticking time bomb waiting to go off." He sneered before walked past me roughly bumping into my shoulder nearly causing me to lose my footing.

"Damn it Gregor! What will it take! What will I have to do before you trust me!" I shouted at him causing him to stop his stride and look back at me.

"What ever it is, you've yet to do it, and don't raise you voice to me boy. You're about five decades to young to talk to me like that." He said as he started walking again, and my blood a-boil, I said something that I would come to regret.

"Well you shouldn't talk like you're better than me." He stopped once again. "You act like you so powerful, thinking you could kill me if I ever lost control." A low growl originated in his throat. "How could you take out a buffed up dark version of me, when I'm sure you cant even beat me as I am now?" I really should have kept my mouth shut.

"Is that a challenge!" He roared so loud That I had no doubt that the others in the dragon temple could hear it.

"Yes, it is you washed up-" I didn't get a chance to finish my sentance before he lunged at me, barely missing my head as I ducked down at the last second.

"I may be your elder Spyro, but when it comes to combat, I'm hardly washed up!" He said before his right for shifted barley half a centimeter, but that was all it took for me to be flung up into the air by a column of earth that sprang up right beneath me.

"GAH!" I cried out as I flew in the air before I managed to catch myself. "How did-" I was once again cut off as I was forced to dodge another attack, this one in the form of a green beam of energy. It was then that I realized that I foolishly picked a fight with someone with guardian level skills!

Refocusing my sights to Gregoir I saw him flying up towards me at ramming speed. I dodge left before lashing out with my jaws and grabbing hold of his right hind leg, nearly cringing as the metalic tast of blood made itself known. with a whip of my head plummeted down to the ground kicking up debris as a crater formed around the impact sight. Not wasting a second I rushed him, loud boom resenated in the area as he feigned left and my paws came into contact with the destroyed road.

"You'r old age has made you slow Gregoir." Why was I boasting like this? I don't boast.

"What are you talking about? I dod-" He shut his mouth when I raised my right forepaw, showing my blood covered claws. Almost as if on cue, three bloody gashes open up on his right shoulder blade spraying blood in the air. Stiffling a wince, he looked at me and growled. "How?"

"I'll never tell." I said in an uncharacteristically smug tone.

With a growl Gregoir charged me yet again while simultaneously gathering earth in front of him coating the top of his head and horns in a thick layer of rock. Smirking I charged him myself, feeling the familiar heat of my old comet charge technique. We rammed our heads into each other with a severe banging sound. Earth and flame pushed against each other struggling for dominance before- **BOOOOOM!-** We both went flying in separate directions, Me into the abandoned bakers shop we passed earlier causing a big portion to collapse onto of me.

"Okay... ow... maybe that was a bad idea..." I muttered as I dug myself out of the rubble.

"Gee, YA THINK!" My heart stopped beating out of fear as I came face to face with a pissed off Cynder who came to investigate the noise me and Gregoir were making. And with the look she was giving my at that moment, I might as well slipped back under the rubble and called it my grave, because I was fairly certain that her thoughts were boarder line murder at the moment.

"C-C-Cymder! L-Look, I know this l-l-looks bad, b-but-"

"BUT NOTHING! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU TW-" She was cut off mid rant by an enraged roar. Looking towards the source we saw Gregoir, hovering above the now destroyed western wall surrounded by at least a thousand pieces of floating stone, each one with an outline of green energy.

"I think he's finally snapped." I said as the stones started to shape themselves into sharened stalagmites, each one pointed at us.

"Gregoir! Stop this nowand put those down!" Cynder shouted at the top of her lungs, and I guess one could say he followed her order, by hurling each and everyone of his stones right at us!

Taking off into the sky me and Cynder bobbed and weaved through the projectiles as best we could. But while Cynder was able to evade them with ease, I was slowed down by my injuries, and before long I felt two distinct peircing sinsations; on in my left thigh, and the other a mear two inches from my heart! When the volley of pointy death finally stopped I landed, or rather crashed, with a painful grunt. The ringing in my ears was so loud that I could barely hear Cynder screaming, and my vision was so blury that I almost failed to notice Gregoir forming another barrage of projectiles, or the pink blob that appeared on the wall under him and launched a fireball at him. Wait... Pink... fireball... under him! It was at that moment that my eyesite cleared up enough for me to clearly see my daughter standing under Gregoir, trying to stop him.

"EMBER NO! GET AWAY!" I screamed at the top of my undoubtably punctured lungs, but either she didn't hear me or she became petrified by fear as the stalagmites were suddenly aimed at her. "NO!" I shouted as the would around me turned blue. realizing I activated dragon time subconsciously, I hazardly rose to my paws, ignoring the pain as I ripped the stalagmites already in me out before taking off in an unsteady flight. I reached her right before dragon time ended, and with the last of my energy I erected a dome of earth around her. The look she gave me... was one of hope... she knew that I came to save her... and save her I shall... even if it meant that I couldn't save myself. No sooner than when the dome closed did I feel first sharp rock enter my hide, and I hazardly draped my body over the earth dome, adding the last layer of protection I could for my daughter, for my most precious person. The rest soon rainded down on my form like water in a thunder storm. It didn't stop until I heard a pained yelp followed by a strange gurgling sound. Looking back I saw Cynder with her jaws to Gregoirs throat. The storm over I rolled off the dome and lay painfully on my side.

"P-Papa!" I saw Ember squeeze her way through a whole that was created by one of the stalagmites that my body didn't block. She latched onto my chest, letting her tears flow from her eyes unrestricted. She knew what comes next, she knew but refused to except it. "P-P-Please... d-don't leave, please." My vision blurred with tears, and my throat was so sore that I could barley speek, but I did anyways.

"Don't worry... I wo-wont... even if you cant... cant see me... cant hear... me I will al-always be... with you." I choked out, barely over whisper. She balled harder, so I put a paw over her to comfort her. The sound of wing beats caught my attention, and I looked up just in time to see Cynder land on the wall and run up to me.

"S-Spyro..." She was on the verge of tears as she looked over me. Her heart must have been breaking as she sat down beside me and nuzzled her head against my lightly. "Please... not again... I-I just got you back!" She cried. "Please... I don't want to be alone again..."

"Y-You... wont... please look... after... after Ember..." I suddenly found myself drawn back to when I was given Embers egg as I repeated the four words that changed my life forever. "Look after my child." She gave a reluctant but firm nod, promising me she'd do just that. "It was then that I noticed the white at the edge of my vision start to spread, knowing what it meant I decided to say something that I've been to afraid to say till now. "Cynder... one last thing..." her teary eyes looked right at me, showing me I had her full attention. "I-GAH!" Both she and Ember became frantic as I suddenly coughed up what had to be the last small amount I had in me.

"Spyro!" She cried out as she bent down to check on me, but froze when I lifted my bloody lips to her ear, and whispered the three words I've been wanting to say since we were reuntied on the island.

"I love you..." These three simple words were the last ones I said before my head fealt heavy, and my vision faded to white.

 _ **(A:N. Wow I-I cant beleave I just did that. I feel dirty all of a sudden. I know a lot of you are going to hate me for this, but please just bare with me a little longer. I'll make this right... somehow...)**_


	11. Chapter 11

_*****?*****_

We remember pain, not sure if it was physical or emotional, but pain none the less. Then we saw that dumb ape who fancied himself a king, we put him in his place easily. Then there was numbness coupled with the inability to move as we were trapped in a giant amber like crystal, forced to watch the world go by without us. But then after what seemed an eternity, the numbness was gone, but the emotions that followed after were... chaotic to say the least. Joy preceded anger and frustration, which were then swept away by the instincts of survival, that's where everything became one big storm of confusion, regret, despair, and the rare bit of hope that somehow was thrown into the mix.

Then it came again, the pain, this time it was emotional. Then we saw her, someone like us. Someone who was touched by the same darkness, even if only to a lesser extent than us. She put us in our place by soothing the pain with a few choice words, and everything seemed alright again. But that feeling was fleeting as it was soon dashed away by; rage, frustration, and pain, both physical and emotional. The typical emotions that one would associate with combat, emotions that we became far too familiar with back in those days. Then it came back... the numbness. Thankfully it was nowhere near as long as the first time, but still... we hate being numb. But then the numbness was replaced with confusion, followed by fear, then sadness and the pain of separation and longing. Then came the total crushing despair, and we thought death drew near.

 ** _'What is death?'_** For the first time in our existence, we actually had a thought that was our own. _**'Does it hurt? Will it bring back the numbness?'**_ We asked ourselves as as we felt fear. Not _his_ fear, but for the first time ever, we felt our own fear. But the fear was dashed away by a ray of hope as we were able to see a light. Seeing... another first for us. Then the hope started to turn to desperation as the light started to get smaller. **_'Will we make it.'_** We asked as we drew closer to the fading light. It was then that the fear of being numb again entered our mind, and we knew we had to get to the light no mater what. _**'We will make it!'**_ We thought as we instinctively reached out into the white void that had been our... home... ever since our... birth, we grasped something... no... someone! It was him! We don't know how how or why, but at the time our main focus was the light ahead. Instinctively we pushed some of our own power into him, and we felt ourselves going faster. It wasn't long before we breached the light and the feelings of joy and hope swept through us, but just like so many times before it was swept away by pain and despair. But that lead to another first for us, because that pain is what allowed him and us to finally meet face to face.

"Who are you? Where am I?" He asked us weakly as his purple form writhed before us in pain. For what felt like an eternity we just stared down at him, as his crimson life force pooled under him from his torn wing.

 _ **"We... we are the darkness in your heart given life."**_ We said truthfully, but we could tell that did nothing to calm the wounded dragons nerves, And despite the pain he was in, he still managed to stand and back away from us with unbridled fear in his eyes. _**"Stop! We don't want to hurt you!"**_ We tried to calm him, but he simply would not hear our words. He grew frantic, saying how we wanted to take his body as our own... the thought never crossed our mind. We eventually tried to calm him down by force before he hurt himself even more than he already was, but... that proved to be a mistake as he thought that we were attacking him. Eventually he just ran off into the void and faded from our view, But that didn't mean that we weren't watching him. After that encounter our 'bond' , as one could call it, grew two new heights. Where as before we could only feel a small fraction of his emotions, we now felt them in spades. Not only that but he could see what he saw, and we could hear what he heard, and taste what he tasted. We watched as he lived on the island he'd been forced to call home for so many years, we were there when he received Ember's egg and felt the despair in his heart at the fact that he wasn't able to save her parents, and we also felt the determination in him to protect his unexpected child from any harm. Then we felt the unbridled joy her hatching brought him followed by the icy grip of shock and fear as he had what we guess some would call an 'oh shit moment' when he realized that unexpected or not... he was the youngling's father.

Time went on, and before we knew it many years had passed us by, and we grew restless. We didn't want to see the world through the eyes of another, we wanted to feel things for ourselves! And so we began pushing, trying to claw our way out even if only for a minute, we were going to see the world ourselves! He tried to stop us, he convinced himself we'd use his body for nefarious purposes. But over time we wore him down, and he went over to the grublin side of the island, hoping that if he let us out for at least an hour we would have been placated. He was right of course, that was all we wanted, but before would truly enjoy our new found freedom, she screamed out.

"PAPA!" That fear filled scream turned what should have been the best night of our existence into the worse. We'd watched Ember grow up through his eyes, and had come to care for her as our own the same he did. So when we heard her call out for help, it ignited a burning fire of rage inside of us. But that rage blinded us to what we were doing, we had no control over our actions, and it wasn't until we heard her scream of pain that we stopped and could see again. That 's when we saw her, on the ground, her hind left leg bleeding from three long gash marks that we'd given her. The pain and despair we felt when we looked into her eyes and saw the undeniable look of fear and betrayal in them, it was enough to make us miss the numbness. We receded deeper into his mind than we'd ever had before out of despair and shame, what little bond and trust we built with him was destroyed that day. It took weeks just to get him to acknowledge our existence, we even stopped referring to ourselves as 'we' when he was close enough to hear us.

Then she returned, Cynder, the one touched by the same darkness we were so many years ago. It was only by chance that she would appear here of all places, but we felt his joy at seeing her, mixed with the undeniable sense of... longing and desire. But then he went and asked her to take Ember away from him, or rather... away from us. We could understand why he asked that, but we could tell that he didn't want either of them to leave him behind, and he was to kind hearted to ask her to stay with them. So we did something drastic. When he began to feel rage do to a story that Cynder had told him about her past, we struck fast and hard. Unfortunately the news that Cynder could never have a child of her own shock him so much that he subconsciously blocked us out for that night, but when morning came we were ready to try again. Our plan worked to perfection, but he was still not convinced to leave the island so we had to... persuade him. The method we used hurt us as much as it hurt him, but in the end it worked. He left the island behind, but sadly we had exhausted to much of our energy and were forced into a deep sleep... until now that is.

 _ *****Inner darkness P.O.V.*****_

 **"No... no no no no!"** We shouted into the void as we felt the numbness slowly creeping in all around us. **"THIS CANNOT HAPPEN! WE WILL NOT BE NUMB AGAIN!"** Our shouts echoed in the empty white void around us as we ran in a seemingly random direction. Random to others, but to us, we knew it would lead us to- **"SPYRO! YOU IDIOT!"** We shouted as we came upon his broken and bloodied form, seemingly floating in the nothingness of the void. His condition was bad; sever blood loss, failing organs, and those half dozen jagged rocks jutting out of his body didn't seem to be helping him either. **"What in the world could have possessed to start that idiot fight?"** We asked after quickly skimming through his memories to catch up on what we missed while we slept. His only response was to weakly look up at us accusingly before his head slumped back down on the none-existent ground. **"You think w- I made you go into that fight?"** We asked honestly hurt at the accusation. **"I've been asleep since I convinced you to leave the island!"**

"The... how come... I w-was acting so strange?" He asked us, not believing what we said. Indeed though, his behavior was most odd right before the fight. We quickly filed that away in the back of our mind for investigating later.

 **"I don't honestly know Spyro, but right now that's not our biggest concern."** Almost as if to prove our point, a large screeching sound reached our ears. Looking up we saw large black cracks blemishing the otherwise pure white overhead of our home. **"Damn... we don't have much time left."** We said as we looked back at him briefly before we stated pacing while trying to find a solution to the current mess that he'd landed us in. **"What to do? What to do?"** We asked our selves over and over again as more and more cracks started to form around us. Each new crack that formed drew the numbness closer and closer. We tried to hide our panic from Spyro, but we were obviously failing miserably at it.

"Are you... scared?" He asked us suddenly, to which we replied with a hasty denied a bit over zealously. But the truth was that... we were scared... We didn't want to be numb again, or to fade from existence. So we kept pacing and thinking, coming up with countless different scenarios and ways to keep the numbness away. All of them failed in our head, all but one... a very risky one and one that he wouldn't like.

 **"Switch with me!"**

"What-"

 **"I SAID "SWITCH WITH ME" DAMN IT!"**

"Are you-"

 **"Listen you! You don't like me, that much is obvious right now, but I am the only one that can save us both! But in order to do that I have to be in control!"** He was about ready to argue when out of nowhere a white piece of the void crashed down right next to us. Looking up we both saw a dark hole in the white above us surrounded by numerous cracks. **"Look we don't have the time to sit around and argue all day! Neither one of us want to cease to exist at this very moment!"** He just stared at me, contemplating what We'd just said, before he unleashed a drawn out and shaky breath.

"Fine... what do I have to do." He resigned himself in defeat.

 **"Nothing,... and I'm sorry..."** Before he could even begin to contemplate our words we had twisted myself in a half circle, before bringing the blunt end of our tail blade down on his head... hard...


	12. Chapter 12

**(*Insert mole king from Johnny Test cartoon* "I'M BAAAACK!" Sorry for the long wait guy, been busy these last couple months one the** **home-front. If your an author then you know how can be at times. Just want to say I'm sorry for the wait and that I really appreciate the patience people. I'll try to have a new chapter up sooner than last time.)**

 *****Cynder P.O.V.*****

'This is... unexpected.' I thought as I gazed upon the dark form in front of me. One second my heart was shattering into a million pieces as I was mourning over Spyro's death, and the next thing I know he's standing up as if nothing happened. Only... it seemed as if his darker half had taken control. But he wasn't acting as he should. He should be rampaging in the streets, destroying everything in sight! Instead he's... rolling around in the grass while laughing like a youngling?

 **"I can't believe this!"** He exclaimed happily as he finally stopped rolling around and stood up allowing me to get a good look at him. He... could basically pass as Spyro's twin, which makes sense considering that he, what ever he is, is using his body. The only difference was the color scheme. Instead of the purple and gold I'd come to love, the dragon before me was ebony black and silver, with purple replacing the red of his wing membranes and red replacing the purple of his eyes. **"I'm out..."** He said drawing me from my observations of him. **"I'm finally out!"** The joy of his shout could be heard for miles around. **"So this is what grass feels like! And the Sun,it's so warm!"** He said as he looked towards the evening sky. **"This is so much better then when I delved into his memories."** He mumbled to himself quietly as closed his eyes and seemingly basked in it's presence.

"Um... Excuse me!" Ember called from my left. Looking down at her I could see that she was just as confused about all of this as I was. He stopped his basking to look at us, but the instant he laid his red eyes upon us, the spark of pure joy turned to one of regret a sadness.

 **"I'm sorry..."** Of all the things I was expecting to hear from him, that was the least expected. And he sounded so sincere even though I had no clue as to what he was apologizing for. It was then that I realized that he wasn't looking at me directly, but at Ember instead. **"Your leg... Ember, the last thing I wanted that night was to hurt you..."** It was then that I remembered the story that Spyro told me on the the island. Of how his inner darkness had been trying to get out, and of how he believed that by letting it out for a little bit, it would calm down. Only for things to go horribly wrong when Ember followed him onto the grublin side of the island.

"If that's true, then why did you attack her?" I asked as I stepped in front of Ember defensively. Sure he may have been acting differently than I first expected him to, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to be cautious.

 **"Emotions... emotions were, and still are fairly new to me."** He said as he suddenly found the ground under his paws to be of great interest. **"That night... when I heard you scream... I was filled with so much fear... so much rage that I... was blinded by it..."** He said sadly almost on the brink of tears.

"W-What do you mean?" Ember asked as she tried to get a little closer to him only for me to have to pull her back.

 **"Ember... you father and I... while we are different, we are also the same."** He said as he knelled down to her eye level. **"I've been with your father in one form or another for years before and after you were born. Like him I watched you when you hatched, when you took your fist step, said your first word, and every other milestone you crossed between then and now. One doesn't see all that without coming to care for the one they are observing."** His voice held such passion, such love, it was almost as if-

"You are not her father!" I yelled at him as I pulled Ember behind me and got ready to pounce on him encase he tried something. Surprisingly he just let out a sad sigh as he stood up and brought his direct attention to me.

 **"I never said I was Cynder. I understand that you feel the need to be weary around me. You own dark past justifies your caution, but I promise you that I mean no harm."** He said and a part of me actually wanted to believe him, but like he said, I have experience when dealing inner darkness. **"If you require proof of my intentions than how about I volunteer to help find the missing adults?"** The offer shocked me more than I let on.

"How are you going to do that?" Ember ask from directly at his fore-paws.

'Ancestors how'd she get there without me noticing?!' I asked inside my head. 'Is this what Spyro has to deal with, with her?'

 **"Well Ember, you see while your to young to understand, older and more experienced dragons have the ability sense the natural energies of the the planet that are aligned with their elements.** **"** He told her in what I could only describe as a lecture mode.

"Natural energies?"

"What he means is that there are some areas in the world where our elemental powers get a boost by drawing on the energy of the environment around us." I said as I remembered one of those boring lectures that Cyril used to give me and Spyro when we were younger.

 **"She's right Ember. A perfect example would be if you used your fire element in a place one would normally associate with fire like a volcano."** He explained, and I noted that Ember was paying rapt attention to him. I briefly wondered if she was always this when learning new thing. **"If you were to breath fire near a volcano, especially an active one, you'd find that it would be much stronger then if you were to breath fire here."**

"Alternatively if you were to breath fire in a place associated with the element ice, fire's opposite, you breath would be much weaker than normal." I said while recalling the end of Cyril's lecture.

 **"Yes, but that's not all."**

"Wait, there's more?" I asked curiously.

 **"Yes there is Cynder, and you'd know that if you didn't fall asleep during Cyril's lectures."** I found myself blushing in embarrassment at the fact that he was scolding like one would a youngling. It only intensified when Ember let out a small laugh at my expense. But then a new question popped into my head. **"If you wondering how I know all this, It's because Spyro actually managed to stay awake in class. All I have to do is look into his memories to find the information I need."**

'Okay, that was creepy. Was he-'

 **"No Cynder I was not, and am not, reading your mind. Your questions are practically written on you face."** Once again I found myself blushing, but this time it was more of aggravation than embarrassment. **"Now where was I... Oh yes! As I was about to say, not only are there places in this world that are naturally aligned with the elements, but certain objects as well. More specifically gemstones."**

"Gemstones... like the spirit gems back on the island?" Ember asked with no small amount of curiosity.

 **"No Ember, those gems are used for healing and replenishing ones strength. The ones I'm talking about are even rarer and harder to come by. The only way to find these gems is by sensing the natural elemental energy that flows through them like those places me and Cynder mentioned earlier."** Okay... maybe I should have payed more attention in class, because all this is news to me. **"You see Ember, these gemstones can only be found when a dragon of the same element can sense their location. Also just because a gem is aligned to a certain element, doesn't mean that you'll find one in an area aligned with that element."**

"Okay... but what does all this talk about gems have to do with finding the missing dragons?" I honestly didn't see how any of this was going to help us. He just looked at me with a confused expression, but that gave way to one of realization soon after.

 **"Of course, how could I forget? Cynder, while you maybe able to use the elements poison, fear, and shadow, that doesn't make you a poison dragon, or a fear, dragon, or even a shadow dragon."**

"What's that supposed to mean?"

 **"Cynder, it's only because of your... history with Malefore that you are even able to use those element. Were it not for the dark master's interference in you life, you just be a wind dragon!"** Again, where's he going with this? **"Therefore you would only be able to sense wind aligned gemstones, whereas I, someone naturally aligned with the element of darkness, can sense the dozens of dark gemstones here in this very city."**

"Wait, WHAT?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. "Dark gemstones?! Like the ones Malefore used?!" A simple nod was the only answer he gave me. "This is bad, really bad. If there really are dark gemstones here, there's no telling how they could have effected the adults before they vanished, how they could have effected the younglings, how they could have-" My mind immediately shift to how Gregoir had been acting right before he... nearly killed Spyro.

"Um... Excuse me... but what so bad about these dark gemstones?" Ember's question brought me out of my mild panic attack. As I looked down at her I could see genuine curiosity in her eyes, but also a small bit of fear as well. Most likely because of my reaction.

'Ancestor, I'd make a terrible mother...' I inwardly scolded myself for forgetting about Ember's presence. "Dark gemstone... are pure evil Ember. Unlike the spirit gems that give us strength, they take it away." I could tell that she didn't quite understand what I just said, but before I could explain further-

 **"Dark gemstones, basically suck out one's spirit Ember. they leave one as nothing but a mindless husk who's only purpose is to serve the ones who made them in the first place."**

'Way to dial it down for her sake.' I thought sarcastically before I looked down and noted that while Ember seemed a bit frightened, she wasn't panicking like most her age would. 'Why am I so surprised? She was raised by Spyro on an island infested with grublins after all.'

"Made them?"

 **"Yes Ember. You see, while there are some naturally dark elements, darkness itself is't a natural element. Therefore gemstones aligned with the element of darkness aren't natural either."**

"Oh... so then how come you say your aligned with the element of darkness if darkness isn't a real element?" I never really noticed how inquisitive Ember is.

 **"I said it's not natural. I never said it wasn't real."** He defended. **"I myself am a perfect example. I was never meant to exist, but yet... here I am all the same."** He sadly admitted.

"What do you mean you're not mean to exist?" Ember asked curious about his statement.

 **"I'll tell you later, but right now you need to go back to the dragon temple."**

"What?! WHY?!" Ember whined, finally acting like the child she is.

 **"Because me and Cynder are going after the dark gemstones in the city."**

'We are?'

"But why can't I come to?"

 **"Because you can't sense where they are like me, and you haven't built up a resistance to them like Cynder."** A good reason if ever there was one.

"Okay fine." She huffed as she angrily trotted off in the temple's general direction.

 **"Oh and don't even think about wondering off! Belinda is going to keep a good eye on you!"** Before I could question his meaning said electricity dragoness' head popped out of a nearby bush. She gave us a sheepish smile before silently running after Ember to make sure she got back safely.

"when did she get here?"

 **"While I was giving my lecture about natural energies."** He said as he started off towards the damaged wall. **"The nearest dark gemstone is this way."** That was all I needed to here to follow... I guess I can't just keep referring to him as... well him.

"Do you have a name or something?"

 **"No."**

"Then what do I call you?" He paused for a brief moment to think before continued on again.

 **"Dark."**

"Dark? Couldn't you come up with some thing more original?" I ask as we came upon the destroyed wall. He just ignored me as he used Spyro's earth element to start removing a small piece of the wall. "Well... I guess it-" I stopped talking as an all to familiar ominous purple light sprang from the small hole Dark had just dug up. looking inside I saw a sight that I'd hoped I'd never see again. "A dark gemstone." I made no effort to hide the venom in my voice as I stared upon offend shard.

 **"Indeed."** Dark said as he reached into the hole and grabbed the shard. He examined it briefly not even effected by it's attempts to drain his energy like it was mine. But like he said, do to my past, I've built up a resistance to it, so it isn't effecting me as bad as it could be. **"This shard... is just a small piece of a much large crystal."** He said before he smashed it and grounded it to dust before letting it fall to the ground. I spit a bit of acidic venom on the dust for good measure. **I can sense where the rest of the shards are, but what I want to know is; who brought them to the city, and more importantly, why?'**


	13. Chapter 13

*****Dark's P.O.V.*****

 **"That's the fifty-seventh shard so far."** We said as we watched the remains of the offending dark gemstone shard melt to nothingness thanks of a weak acid attack courtesy of Cynder.

"Good... That's one... less thing... to... worry about." She gasped out tiredly as she gasped for air. Once she got her barrings back she put on a tough face and acted like she just got back from a long walk along the city walls. But we knew that was just an act. While her face gave nothing away, her eyes were a different story. They were emerald pools of weariness that were just begging for Cynder to let her heavy eyelids close. And it wasn't just because it was well past midnight. Even though she had a resistance to the dark shards, she was nowhere near immune to them. Truth be told we only had her come along with us because we didn't trust that simply breaking the dark shards would be enough to neutralize their effects. That and if she didn't come, she'd have assigned Belinda to do it once she revealed herself. That dragoness really creeps us out with how silent she is.

 **"Hows about we call it a night Cynder?"** We asked feeling a bit tired ourselves.

"What? Why?" We knew she'd ask that.

 **Because your obviously exhausted from both you using your poison breath, and the strain the dark shards are putting on your body."**

"But I'm-"

 **"Your not fine Cynder."** We interrupted her protest before it could really get started. **"You've been using up your mana non-stop, each shard we've found has sapped away what you haven't been using, and to top it all off it's got to be about three hours past midnight."** We said with a tone that we'd witnessed Spyro use on Ember multiple times before in the past. **"But hey, if you want to keep going that's fine by me."** We said as we moved off in a random direction. **"Just don't expect me to carry you back to the tower when you collapse from exhaustion in the middle of some alley or in some strangers house."** We called out over our shoulder, and that seemed to make her agree with us if the defeated sigh was anything to say about it.

"Fine." She said with a small huff. "You know you don't have to treat me like a youngling..." Wait... was she pouting?

 **"I wouldn't have to if you took better care of yourself."**

"What do you-"

 **"I have Spyro's memories Cynder, and I've seen how you've been pushing yourself harder than him and all the others these last few months."**

"I have to, I'm the leader of our team."

 **"But what good are you to the team if you run yourself ragged?"** We countered as she rolled her eyes, obviously having been told all this before. **"Besides, we both know that's not the only reason you try so hard."**

"What do you mean by that?"

 **"As I said earlier Cynder, your easy to ready."** The small growl she let out was almost enough to make us laugh, but then we remembered the punch she gave Spyro back when they were on the island and thought better of it. **"Cynder..."** We stopped to look her directly in the eyes. **"I know your still haunted by the things you've done as the terror of the the skies-"**

"This has nothing to do with that!" She snapped at me.

 **"Yes it does Cynder. As I said before, I have Spyro's memories, all of them. Even the ones from before I came into being. Spyro's seen try to run away into some form of self imposed exile time and time again. And the one time you actually managed to get away, you end up getting captured by pirates."** She looked down obviously ashamed by letting herself get captured so easily. **"Do you know how worried everyone was? How worried Spyro was? Right after you left that night the temple was attacked."** She seemed surprised to hear that... did the guardians really not tell her?

"The temple was attacked?" A simple nod was we gave her. "And I wasn't there to help..." Great, that back fired on us.

 **"That does't matter Cynder. What does matter is that everyone was worried about you, everyone still is worried about you."** We said as we recalled Spyro talking to Ignile about this very same issue sometime over the last six months.

"He's right Cynder." Speak of the devil. We both looked my left to find none other than Ignile walking towards us.

"Ignile, what are you doing here?" Cynder asked obviously confused as to his sudden appearance.

"You've been out a long time, and Belinda and I were-" He glanced over to us briefly. "Worried about you." Of course they were. "No offense." He said as he addressed us directly. "It's just that... from what Belinda told me-"

 **"Wait... she can speak?"**

"In her own way. It's just that you, or rather Spyro, hasn't been a part of our group long enough to learn how to understand her." He explained as one of Spyro's memories of the electric dragoness waving her for-paws around in a strange manner while making even stranger gestures with them flashed before our eyes.

 **"Okay..."** We said as we shoved that memory away. **"But let's get back on topic here."** We directed our full attention back to Cynder. **"Cynder, what I'm trying to say, and I'm sure Spyro would say the same, is that if we truly believed that you weren't worthy of that concern, if we didn't already see past everything that happened, we wouldn't be so worried about you. Both back then, and right now."**

"But I've spilled so much innocent blood how-"

"You didn't spill any blood back then Cynder." Ignile said putting his right paw over her left shoulder.

 **"It was Malefore who spilled all that blood."** We said as we put our left paw on her right shoulder. **"You had no control over your actions."**

"And you bare no blame."

 **"So there's no need to prove yourself to anyone."** We said as we noticed a few tear coming down her cheeks. We hatted seeing her cry, almost as much as Spyro does. So in a rather bold move, we wrapped her up in a gentle hug to let her cry it out on our shoulder. She seemed surprised by this sudden move, so did Ignile, but she reciprocated it non-the-less. **"Besides, even if you did have something to prove, I'm pretty sure kicking Malefore's big purple but more than did the trick."** We actually got a small chuckle out of that one, but it was soon drowned out by a gentle snoring. Looking down, it became pretty obvious that she'd fallen asleep in our hold. **"Great, now she's going to make me break my word."** We muttered as we gently moved her onto our back.

"And what word was that?" Ignile asked, obviously hearing what I said.

 **"That I wouldn't carry her if she fell asleep in the streets."** We said with a soft chuckle which Ignile returned.

"Um... look... about before-"

 **"Save it. I understand, and would probably not trust me myself in your place."** We said as we looked back at Cynder's sleeping form. **"Spyro is going to be so jealous when he wakes up."** we said as we started off towards the temple again.

"Wakes up?"

 **"I'll explain in the morning."**

"Then you'd better start explaining." He said as he motioned to the west, and we let out an exasperated whine at the sight of the crowning sun in the distance.

 **"I'll explain in the afternoon."** We said exasperated as we picked our pace a bit more. To which Ignile responded with a jovial chuckle.

 *****Ten hours later*****

 **"-And that's pretty much how I gained control of Spyro's body."** We said as we just finished explaining the events that led up to us being in control.

"Wait a minute, your saying that Spyro, do to the damage done to his mind, is basically in a coma, and you don't know when or if he'll wake up?" Ignile asked while trying understand better.

 **"I didn't say that he wouldn't wake up. Just that it might take awhile."**

"How long will Papa be asleep?" We looked down at Ember, who we felt should be here to learn about what happened to her father. Not sure why Flame's her though.

 **"I don't really know Ember. The damage done to your father's mind was... pretty bad."** She looked down a bit crestfallen at that.

"Hey Don't worry Ember!" Flame said as he put a comforting paw on her shoulder. "He already said that mister Spyro is alive right?" She nodded. "Then everything will be okay. He's wake up, and you can be together again." I think I see what's going on here.

 **'Ember's far too young to have a boyfriend.'** We thought as we started coming up with numerous ways to... convince Flame to back of, at least until Ember's older, like a thousand. Something that any responsible would father do. But seeing as Spyro can't at the moment, we'll just have to do for now. **"Flame is right Ember. Your father is fine, all he needs now is a bit of time."** That seemed to perk her up a bit. Flame looked at me with a small smile, probably to thank me for helping cheer up Ember. That smile turned into a fearful frown when we sent a glare his way, or rather, the paw on Ember's shoulder which he quickly retracted looking at us rather nervously. Belinda, having seen this, shook in silent laughter.

"Maybe... I could check up on him... you know, just encase..." The suggestion surprisingly came from Cynder.

 **"The only way you could do that was if you could enter someones mind."** She just gave us a look that just screamed 'I know something you don't.' **"Wait, you can? But Spyro has no memory-"**

"It's something I picked up after me and Spyro were separated. It's basically an advanced form of my fear element."

"What do you mean Cynder?" Ignile asked rather curiously.

"You see Ignile, when I use my fear element on an opponent, it projects images into their eyes that virtually anyone would find scary. Like if an opponent were looking at me when I use it, they just might see me as some sort of twenty story tall zombie dragon from the underworld or something." She explained he powers briefly, and as a response, everyone in the room, including us, took a small step back from her as that image flashed in front of all our eyes.

 **"Okay... but how does that help you get inside mine and Spyro's shared head?"**

"Because before I returned to Warfang and joined the city guard, I'd spent two years traveling the world... looking for any sign of Spyro." She whispered the last part sadly. "But in that time, I met a elder fear dragon who helped me take my element to levels I never thought imaginable." Her solemn expression turned to one of pride as she looked at us with determination. Though that quickly went away and was replaced with one of empathy directed at us. "The down side is that, while I'm in your mind... you'll be forced to experience your worst fears." She said rather solemnly, and we knew what we'd be facing if she did this. Our fears of numbness, our fears of fading away, our fears of... becoming like him... would all be on display for all to see.

 **"I... see... if think this is best than... I'll allow it."** She gave a thankful look and was all about to start right away, but we stopped before she could. **"Wait! Just two favors before you do this."** She nodded obviously curious at what we wanted. **"First, I want you to promise not to take any more time in there than absolutely necessary."**

"I promise." Well that one was easy enough.

 **"The second thing that I want is... for you to restrain me in somewhere secure and away from any young ones."** This request seemed to surprise everyone in the the room, and in truth we ourselves are also a bit surprised at that.

"Why would you want to be restrained?" Ember asked curiously. All we had to do was look at the for faded horizontal scars on her right for-leg for her to understand the answer.

 **"Emotions, such as rage, sorrow, and fear, are the hardest for me to control."** We said as we continued looking at Ember's leg, and by now all the other's were as well. **"There's no telling what I'll do when facing my worst fears, and there is a good chance that history will repeat itself..."**

"Wait... you mean your the one who gave Ember those Scars!" Ignile asked obviously enraged at the idea of us hurting his niece, even though he has yet to tell her.

 **"yes..."** We said in a defeated tone. **"I offer no excuse, subconsciously or not, Ember was hurt by my claws... A crime that I'll never forgive myself for..."** We said as we suddenly found the ground very interesting.

"Why not? I forgive you." Ember said shocking everyone in the room.

 **"But I-"**

"Obviously feel sorry." She interrupted us. "And it's like Papa once said, some time's people do bad things that are beyond their control and-"

 **"It is better to forgive them so that they may find some semblance of piece."** We finish as we remembered that particular life lesson that Spyro had taught her. **"Spyro... even when he's being lazy and sleeping the day away, I still can't best him..."** We mumbled under our breath, prompting Ember give off a small giggle.

"That's because he's the best no matter what he does!" Ember cried out cheerfuller, lifting the rather somber mood in the room. Even Ignile stopped glaring at us.

 **"I suppose he is."** We said we looked back at Cynder who seemed to be smiling at our little interaction. **"Let's get this done Cynder."** We said, prompting her to sport a serious expression as she motioned us and Ignile to follow her, leaving Belinda, who silently observed all that just happened, still creeps us out by the way, to care for the younglings. It wasn't long before we'd left the tower and headed to a part of the city we've yet to see. **"Where are we going?"**

"To the only place in the city that has the restraints that can hold someone as strong as you." Cynder replied solemnly, obviously not liking where she was taking us. It wasn't before long that our little group found ourselves in front of a set of iron barred gates, blocking the path to a rather ominous castle like structure in the distance.

"Welcome to Blood-Stone-Keep, Warfang's highest security prison." Ignile said with an edge on his voice. And we ourselves, could't help but let out a rather audible gulp as we gazed upon the shadowy structure in the distance.


	14. Chapter 14

*****Cynder's P.O.V.***"**

 **"Even the Inmates have vanished..."** Dark said as we traversed the halls of Blood-Stone. I hated this place, mainly because a good amount of those housed here were war criminals who served Malefore with undying loyalty. But... every guard in Warfang has to be stationed here at least once throughout their careers. Sadly though I've been here at least a dozen time myself, and every time I see one of those apes, or dragons who actually agreed with Malefore's vision, I was reminded of all the wrong I've done. **"Ignile, are you okay?"** Dark's question brought me out of my self-loathing. Looking back I saw Ignile hunched over in exhaustion, basically swimming in his own sweat, and giving off labored breaths.

"T-There's something... here that's d-draining my mana." He gasped out tiredly. Both Dark and I gave each other a look as we both realized what was going on.

"Is there a dark shard here?" I ask as he closed his eyes in concentration for a brief moment before snapping them open and nodding. Without even asking permission, he gently shove Ignile off of the wall he was leaning on and started to dig into it.

"I was leaning on it?" Ignile asked nearly panicking. Everyone who was old enough to have been in the war knew of the effects of dark gemstones, and of course, they were naturally feared because of that.

 **"Yes."** Dark said as he produced a small shard and crushed it before throwing the remains on the ground so I could melt it with my acid breath. **"Your lucky it was just a small shard instead of a full sized crystal, and that you had at least three feet of concrete blocking you."** He said while gesturing to the large whole he dug in the wall. **"I don't sense anymore so I think we're in the clear."** He said as I handed Ignile some of the green gemstones I was carrying encase something like this happened. **"We should really head back to the city to find the rest. If not today, then tomorrow at the latest."**

"I agree, but-"

 **"Don't worry Cynder, I understand. You probably wont be able to sleep properly until you see Spyro's alright."** Is he trying to embarrassed me?

"Then lets get going you two." Ignile said as the green glow left his body. "The sooner we get this done, the sooner you guys can find the last of those shards." He said as he took the lead knowing exactly what room I was heading towards. "How many are left anyways?"

 **"Not many... at least half a dozen, at most around ten from what I can sense."** Dark said as he Stopped briefly to concentrate. **"Depending on how long this takes, we should have the city cleared out by sundown."**

"It shouldn't take long. In fact from an outside perspective it should only take a couple minutes." I said as we came up to a metal cell door that was covered in countless unbreakable locks and runes. It took Ignile a good ten minutes to unlock it all and open the door.

 **"Whoa! Uh... don't you think this is a little overboard for a single prisoner?"** Dark asked, obliviously nervous at what was inside. From the ceiling and walls there were countless chains, each link forged from the strongest metals know to dragon kind, and enchanted with special mana suppression ruins. In the center of the room was a metal box made of the same metals, and enchanted with the same ruins as the chains.

"It depends on the prisoner Dark." Ignile said as he muttered a small incantation, prompting the box to unfold itself flat on the ground. "This cell was specifically designed to hold Malefor should he have been captured during the war. But with his death a decade past, nearly everybody forgot this room existed." He explained as he motioned for Dark to stand on the center square, only to roll his eye's at the dark dragon's hesitation.

"You wanted us to restrain you." I said pointing out this was his idea.

 **"But don't you think that this might be a bit much?"**

"Actually, this cell might be the only one that can restrain you if you go berserk like you think you might." Ignile said as Dark finally stepped onto the center square.

 **"Might?"**

"Might." No sooner had the word left Ignile's mouth did the box reform itself, but that wasn't all that happened. The box was lifted up in the air as the chains on the ceiling and walls came to life, and snaked their way around, over, under, and-

 **"WHAT THE HELL!"** Through.

"The chains are designed to not only suspend and seal the box, but also keep the occupant immobile." I Explained trying to calm him down a bit.

"Comfy in there?!"

 **"IGNILE GO- MMMPPPHHH-!"** The chains must have restrained his mouth.

"Maybe this is a little to much..." I said starting to second think this.

"Nah... he's fine."

 *****Ignile's P.O.V.*****

"Maybe..." Cynder said clearly not liking this in the least. "Anyway, you'd better move back Ignile. If I accidentally enter your mind, then this will take longer than it has to." She got no complaints from me as I moved to stand in the door way.

"Lets hurry this up Cynder. There is something that I want to ask him once he's back out." She looked back at me briefly, clearly wondering what I wanted to know but respected my privacy by turning back to the task at hand. Crouching low she took in a deep breath as a crimson red aura surrounded her, next came the part that I always hated when ever she used her fear breath. She whipped her head straight up at the box, and opened her mouth wide. But unlike all the other times when she would let out a sonic shriek that that would make me see my worst nightmares if accidentally caught in it, or make my ears bleed if to close to her, like I am now, Nothing came out of her. No sound, no somehow visible red sound wave... nothing. All she did was collapse on the ground. After quickly checking to make sure she was fine I realized what happened. "Right... she's not home..." I looked up at the box. "She's there right now... well looks like I got a couple minutes to kill." I said as I pulled out an old deck of card I always carry with me. "Time for some solitaire..."

 *****Back to Cynder*****

"This place really is messed up." I said as I looked around the white void that made up Spyro's mind. I took distinct note of the giant black cracks and and holes that seemed cover the whole place.

 **"You can say that again."** I nearly jumped out of my skin as I turned around to face Dark, only he wasn't the same as outside. Instead of being the black and silver dark dragon that our group has been getting to know for the past couple of days, I was now looking at a shadowy wisp in the general shape of a dragon with big glowing red dots representing his eyes. But that wasn't the only strange thing about him being here.

"What are you doing here?" He wasn't supposed to be here. Never before had the person who's mind I entered come in with me.

 **"What do you mean 'What are you doing here?'"** Judging by how he raised his... 'eyebrow?'... he was honestly as confused as I was. **"Didn't you drag me in here with you?**

"No I didn't. I've never done something like this before."

 **"Oh... well I hope everything's okay outside."** He said as he simply brushed the issue off and... floated away. **"Follow me, I'll lead you straight to Spyro."** He said over his shoulder, but even as I followed him deeper into the cracked void, I couldn't help but worry about what he said.

'I hope everything's okay outside too."

 *****And back to Ignile*****

"Lets see... red queen so I need a black jack." I said as I looked for the card need to continue the stack I was working on. "Black jack... black jack... where are you." My mussing was interrupted as I heard the chains binding Dark in the box start to clink and clank around rather frantically. "Huh... Guess he was right to be worried." I said as I went back to my game. "Okay black jack where are you?" I said as I started shuffling through what cards remained in the deck. After what seemed like an hour of searching my nerves we starting to get unhinged a bit, and the constant clanking of chains wasn't helping either. "Where is that stupid card?! Why would anyone invent such a torturous game like this in the first place?!" The clanging started to get louder. "OH WILL YOU SHUT UP DARK?!" I yelled out, and surprisingly enough the clanging stopped. "Finally some piece and-"

 **"SNAP!"** A metallic snap sounded through out the prison followed by a sound that I instantly realized was Dark's chains hitting the floor of his metal box.

"That's not good..." I said as I stood up and started making my way over to the box.

 **"BANG!"** The entire box lurched forward as Dark obviously rammed himself against. **"BANG! BANG! BANG! BA- SCREE!"** Oh ancestors... he actually dented it!

"That's definitely not good..." I said as we started backing away from the box nice and slowly.

 **"BANG! BANG! BA- SCREE! BANG! BA-SCREE!"** He stopped...

"Maybe he wore himself out?" I asked myself hoping beyond hope that the answer was-

 **"BOOM!"** He's out...

 *****Back to Cynder yet again*****

 **"We're here..."** Dark said as we approached the center of the webbing cracks, and just as he said, there was Spyro, sound asleep in the center. **"He already looks a lot better than he did the last time I saw him."** He said as I crouched down next to and gently started to stoke the to of his head.

"He looks perfectly healthy." I said as I examined him up close. In fact he seemed to be sleeping rather peacefully.

 **"Yes he does physically Cynder, but you only need to look around to see how damaged his mind is."** He was right about that. All around us we could see countless cracks and holes blemishing the white void that was supposed to represent his mind. I let out a sad sigh as I pulled Spyro's unconscious form closer. **"If you want... I could give you some privacy."** A simple nod was all I gave him, and like that he was gone. **"Just call out if you need me!"** His voice sounded so far off, but he was barely a few feet away from me seconds ago.

"Probably because he's a part of this place in a sense." I concluded as I looked back down at Spyro. "Hey Spyro... I uh... I miss you. I know it's only been a couple of days since you... well... you know..." I said as the vision of Spyro being impaled by Gregoire's earth spikes flashed into my mind. "But so much has happened since then. Your dark half turning out to be good, even if he treats me like a youngling half the time..." Seriously, why does he do that? "And thanks to him, we've not only discovered the presence of dark gemstone shards in the city, but we've also destroyed most of them already." And I couldn't really think of anything else that happened. "I guess that's it actually... not really a lot after all."

"No... not really..." A weak voice said and looking down I saw a familiar pair of half lidded purple eyes!

"Spyro! Your Awake!"

"HMM... Not so loud Cynder I have a splitting headache like you wouldn't believe..." He groaned out as he clutched his head.

"Oh... you'd be surprised..." I said as I gestured to the cracks around us.

"Your... in my head... or am I dreaming?"

 **"This is no dream Spyro."** Dark said as came out of nowhere. **"Cynder has grown quite powerful over the last twelve years."**

"Oh... it's you..." The venom in Spyro's voiced surprised me, but after quickly remembering that all of his and Dark's past encounters weren't exactly what one would call 'friendly', I guess I could understand it. "Was that bump on the head really necessary?"

 **"It's a proven fact that people heal faster when asleep."**

"Yeah... well I'm awake now, and I feel fine. So if you don't mind I'll be taking back my body now." I was about argue an say that we still needed Dark for just a little while longer to find the rest of the dark shards, but Dark gestured me to be quiet.

 **"Very well, I wont stop you."** Wait... what? Spyro also seemed to be surprised, but got up none-the-less and started walking in a seemingly random direction, before Dark cut him off.

"What are you-"

 **"I wont stop you, if you can answer my question."**

"Always something with you. Fine ask away."

 **"What... Is your's daughter's name?"** Why ask that question? Of course Spyro can answer it.

"Seriously? I'm starting to think you the one with the head injury here. It... uh... give me a minute." Okay... maybe not. "Flare! No... that's what I was going to name her if... Cynder..." Did he just say my name? "No... she's right there... uh."

"You don't remember Ember's name?" I ask honestly concerned.

"Ember?"

 **"Yes Spyro, Ember. The pink dragoness that you've raise over the last nine and a half years. Ring any bell."** The look on Spyro's face was one of pure shock and sadness.

"How... how could I forget..." He ask on the verge of tears. I took a step forward to try to comfort him, but was stopped dead in my tracks as he gave me a heated glare. "This is all your fault!" My fault? "If you'd just taken her like I'd asked back on the island than none of this would have happened!" He then turned his attention towards Dark. "AND YOU! If you hadn't regrown this stupid wing, I wouldn't even be here in this situation! In fact, why don't you just take it back! I don't even want it!" He shouted right before he craned his head back to try and grab his right wing.

 **"Fine I'll take it back."** What? **"Just one more thing though."** Spyro stopped reaching for his wing to look at dark, only to be hit in the head with a black tendril that I could only assume to be his tail, knocking Spyro out cold. **"I'm sorry... again."** He said as he turned and to look at me. **"And I'm sorry to you as well Cynder. He wasn't supposed to wake up yet."**

"W-why did he say all those things?"

 **"Those words were the product of a broken mind. He meant none of what he said. Just be glad I managed to knock him out before he really hurt himself."** I really was glad for that, but as Spyro asked earlier...

"Was the bump on the head really necessary?"

 **"Yes."**

"Will he be okay?"

 **"Yes Cynder, like I said before, all he needs is time. Eventually his mind will repair itself. All he needs from you, is patience."** I nodded in understanding. **"we should probably leave now."** I nodded again, and took one last glance at Spyro, before willing us both out of his mind.

 *****Dark's P.O.V.*****

 **"Ugh... what happened."** We asked ourselves as we regained control of our body, only to find ourselves in a tavern back in the city. **"What the..."** We said as we stood up, only to slip and fall on something smooth and round. Looking at the object we discovered it to be a half full mead mug, with a majority of it's contents spilled on the ground. It was then that we noticed to the undeniable stench of alcohol and the gods awful taste in our mouth.

"Finally aw-hic- awake huh?" We looked towards the source of the voice to see none other than Ignile. He was hanging upside down from the bar with an empty mug in one paw, and a playing card in the other. "Guess -hic- what! I finally found the -hic- the black jack..." He slurred as he showed us the card. It was the two of diamonds.


End file.
